Fiona Harvey, a Scottish woman, has filed a lawsuit against Netflix seeking at least $170 million in damages. Harvey claims the character of Martha in Netflix’s limited series ‘Baby Reindeer’ is based on her without consent.
The show, released in April 2024, stars actor Richard Gadd playing a fictionalized version of himself named Donny Dunn, a comedian being stalked by a woman called Martha.
Gadd has stated the series is inspired by his real-life experience of being stalked by a woman in his 20s who allegedly sent him over 40,000 emails, hundreds of voicemails, letters, and bizarre gifts like a reindeer toy.
While Netflix and Gadd have assured they changed key facts about Martha to conceal her identity, their efforts seem to have backfired with Harvey’s lawsuit.
In the show, Martha meets Donny after he serves her a free cup of tea at the bar where he works. She then begins an intense stalking campaign, harassing Donny as well as his loved ones like parents and a transgender woman he dated.
Though based on Gadd’s personal experience, Harvey claims the portrayal of Martha is clearly based on her and has caused significant damages.
Her $170 million lawsuit against Netflix alleges the streamer did not properly anonymize her identity in the show’s depiction of the stalker, causing emotional distress and reputational harm.
Netflix has not publicly commented on the lawsuit yet. The case raises complex issues around artistic licenses versus individual privacy rights when dramatizing real-life events.