Real Life Stalker From Netflix's 'Baby Reindeer' Calls Show 'Horrifying:' The 'Death Threats Have Been Really Terrible'
A lady claiming to be the muse behind Martha, the stalker character in 'Baby Reindeer,' expressed her strong disapproval of the Netflix series, labeling it as "defamatory" that dismisses a significant portion of its storyline as "a work of fiction."
The series, conceived and led by comedian Richard Gadd, revolves around his character Donny, who grapples with the unsettling presence of Martha, portrayed by Jessica Gunning. Gadd, 34, maintains that while the narrative draws from his own encounters, Martha's portrayal is distinct from any real-life individual.
As the series gained widespread critical acclaim, online communities delved into conspiracies regarding the true identity of Martha. Speculation reached such fervor that by the end of April, Gadd took to Instagram to implore fans to cease their unfounded speculations.
In a recent YouTube interview with Piers Morgan, uploaded on Thursday, Fiona Harvey felt compelled to speak out about her ordeal due to relentless online harassment from internet detectives.
Harvey, 58, said the show has "taken over enough of my life. I find it quite obscene. I find it horrifying, misogynistic. Some of the death threats have been really terrible online, people phoning me up." Harvey continued, "It's been absolutely horrendous. I wouldn't give credence to something like that, and it's not really my kind of drama."
Harvey claims that neither Netflix nor Gadd reached out to her regarding the show, which she adamantly stated she hasn't watched. She affirmed her intentions to pursue legal recourse against both Gadd and the streaming media company.
Richard Gadd's Netflix series originated from his solo performance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2019 that explored themes of obsession and delusion. Gadd emphasized that the character resembling his stalker was intentionally obscured. Despite the claim of being a true story, the show's credits clarify that certain elements were fictionalized for dramatic effect.
