"Baby Reindeer" controversy: Netflix faces $170M lawsuit over true story

"Baby Reindeer" is a story about an aspiring comedian and a woman who became his stalker. The story is based on actual events involving actor and co-creator of the series, Richard Gadd. The stalker's true identity, referred to as Martha in the production, was not disclosed by the crew. "While creating the series, we were cautious because this woman is still alive. We would never want anyone to find and identify this person. We were keen to separate the serial Martha from the real woman. We didn't want to interfere in any way with her life. Richard was the only link to the real materials from the case," said Weronika Tofilska, who co-directed the series, in an interview with WP.

In the series, Gadd plays bartender Donny, with whom Martha is obsessed. She is portrayed by Jessica Gunning, known for her roles in the series "Fortitude." "Baby Reindeer" quickly became a sensation, reaching the number-one spot on Netflix in 30 countries. Shortly after the series premiere, Fiona Harvey appeared on Piers Morgan's show, confessing that she is the honest Martha and claiming she had a relationship with Richard Gadd.

The interview caused quite a stir. Harvey decided to sue Netflix, demanding $170 million in compensation. Will there be a trial? According to Deadline, a decision will be made on September 3 on whether the proceedings will start or the lawsuit will be dismissed.

Richard Gadd, who had previously not commented on Fiona Harvey's actions, joined the case. A letter was submitted to the court, where Gadd officially supports Netflix and emphasises that he will testify during the trial if necessary. "I am a comedian, writer, and actor. I created, wrote, and starred in the Netflix series 'Baby Reindeer,'" he wrote in a declaration submitted on 28 July. "I have personal knowledge of the facts set forth below and, if called as a witness, could and would testify competently thereto," he added.

His statement is 21 pages long. Gadd emphasizes that he lived in significant stress and terror for several years due to persistent contact with the stalker. "Impossible to be exhaustive in setting out all of Harvey’s conduct, as there were so many instances of unwelcome personal interaction and attempts to engage, as well as deeply troubling communication," he wrote while presenting all the evidence he had gathered against Harvey over the years, noting that this is just "a microcosm of the sheer scale of her targeted harassment," he experienced.

"I never intended the series to identify any real person as Martha Scott, including Harvey. Martha Scott is not Fiona Harvey. Like all characters in the series, Martha is a fictional character with fictional personality traits that are very different than Harvey’s," he wrote.

It’s important to note that Richard Gadd is not mentioned in Fiona Harvey's lawsuit. The woman is suing Netflix and representatives from the streaming giant indicated in media interviews that they have full rights to show the series. Now, we must wait for the court's decision. Will the fact that "Baby Reindeer" was promoted as a "true story" rather than a "series based on a true story" matter?