The real-life Martha from ‘BABY REINDEER’ has filed a lawsuit against Netflix, seeking at least $170M
The real-life Martha from ‘BABY REINDEER’ has filed a lawsuit against Netflix, seeking at least $170M in damages.
The Scottish woman who claims to be the inspiration for Richard Gadd’s hit Netflix “Baby Reindeer” has sued the streamer, seeking monetary damages of at least $170 million.
Fiona Harvey has publicly said the character of Martha in “Baby Reindeer,” played by Jessica Gunning (pictured above), is based on her.
She is suing Netflix, alleging defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and violations of her right of publicity.
The suit was filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Copy of Harvey’s complaint is at this link.
Harvey’s lawsuit alleges Netflix told “brutal lies” about her in the “Baby Reindeer” series.
“The lies that Defendants told about Harvey to over 50 million people worldwide include that Harvey is a twice-convicted stalker who was sentenced to five years in prison, and that Harvey sexually assaulted Gadd,” her complaint says.
“Defendants told these lies, and never stopped, because it was a better story than the truth, and better stories made money.”
The lawsuit continues, “As a result of Defendants’ lies, malfeasance and utterly reckless misconduct, Harvey’s life had been ruined. Simply, Netflix and Gadd destroyed her reputation, her character and her life.”
In a statement, a Netflix rep said: “We intend to defend this matter vigorously and to stand by Richard Gadd’s right to tell his story.”
Asked for comment on Harvey’s allegations, a rep for Gadd cited the statement issued by Netflix. Gadd is not named as a defendant in Harvey’s lawsuit.
The first episode of “Baby Reindeer” says at the beginning, “This is a true story.”
Harvey’s lawsuit claims that “is the biggest lie in television history.
It is a lie told by Netflix and the show’s creator, Richard Gadd, out of greed and lust for fame; a lie designed to attract more viewers, get more attention, to make more money, and to viciously destroy the life of Plaintiff, Fiona Harvey — an innocent woman defamed by Netflix and Richard Gadd at a magnitude and scale without precedent.”
“Baby Reindeer,” which is based on Gadd’s one-man Edinburgh Festival play, launched on Netflix worldwide on April 11 and quickly became a monster hit on the streamer. In the show, Gadd plays a fictionalized version of himself named Donny Dunn.
