A British woman, Fiona Harvey, who claims to be the inspiration for the stalker character in the Netflix hit “Baby Reindeer,” sued the streaming service on Thursday, seeking $170 million in damages.
Harvey identified herself as the real-life “Martha,” portrayed in Richard Gadd’s show as a delusional and violent woman. The lawsuit, filed in California, argues that the show’s opening claim of being “a true story” is a lie designed to attract viewers and destroy her life.
Netflix responded by asserting their intent to defend the matter vigorously and support Gadd’s right to tell his story.
“Baby Reindeer,” which premiered on Netflix in April, quickly gained popularity. The series, based on Gadd’s one-man play, depicts a fictionalized version of the author enduring a disturbing ordeal with Martha, who sends thousands of harassing messages and allegedly assaults him.
Gadd has stated that he altered details to protect Martha’s identity, but online sleuths identified Harvey, leading to her public denial of the show’s accusations.
The lawsuit alleges defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence, among other claims, asserting that the defendants fabricated a story for profit and did nothing to verify the truth.
