Current:Home > ScamsBaby Reindeer's Alleged Real-Life Stalker Speaks Out on Netflix Show -DollarDynamic
Baby Reindeer's Alleged Real-Life Stalker Speaks Out on Netflix Show
View
Date:2025-04-14 20:05:21
Baby Reindeer's real-life "Martha" is breaking her silence.
Two weeks after the release of the Netflix series, which is based on comedian Richard Gadd's experience with a stalker, the woman who allegedly served as his inspiration spoke out to say that she's been receiving "death threats and abuse" from people who have figured out her identity.
"He's using Baby Reindeer to stalk me now," she told the Daily Mail, accusing Gadd of "bullying an older woman on television for fame and fortune."
The woman—who the outlet chose not to identify by name—also said she's considering legal action against the actor, claiming he has "main character syndrome."
"I'm the victim," she said. "He's written a bloody show about me."
The woman added, "He always thinks he's at the center of things. I'm not writing shows about him or promoting them in the media, am I? If he wanted me to be properly anonymous, he could have done so. Gadd should leave me alone."
E! News has reached out to Gadd for comment but hasn't heard back. However, the 34-year-old previously said that many details in the series were changed to protect people's identities. On the show, Gadd portrayed a fictionalized version of himself named Donny Dunn, while his alleged stalker was called Martha, who was played by actress Jessica Gunning.
"It's all borrowed from instances that happened to me and real people that I met," he told Variety in an interview published April 19. "But of course, you can't do the exact truth, for both legal and artistic reasons. I mean, there's certain protections, you can't just copy somebody else's life and name and put it onto television. And obviously, we were very aware that some characters in it are vulnerable people, so you don't want to make their lives more difficult."
Amid Baby Reindeer's success, Gadd also discouraged fans from publicly identifying his past abusers, including the TV writer who sexually abused him early in his comedy career. (In the series, the character was played by Tom Goodman-Hill.)
"Please don't speculate on who any of the real life people could be," he wrote on Instagram Stories, per People. "That's not the point of our show."
So, why did he create Baby Reindeer? "All I ever wanted to do was capture something complicated about the human condition," Gadd wrote in the show's Netflix description. "That we all make mistakes. That no person is ever good or bad. That we are all lost souls looking for love in our own weird way."
He added, "Hoping that in amongst all the messy, complicated, f--ked up themes, Baby Reindeer throws at you that people might take notice of its beating heart."
For free, confidential help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit rainn.org.veryGood! (43)
Related
- Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
- Teddi Mellencamp's Past One-Night-Stand With Matt Damon Revealed—and Her Reaction Is Priceless
- The Prettiest, Budget-Friendly Prom Dresses Are Hiding at Amazon
- U.S. plan for boosting climate investment in low-income countries draws criticism
- Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
- Aaron Carter’s Team Recalls Trying to Implement a Plan to Rehabilitate After Cause of Death Determined
- How electric vehicles got their juice
- Democrats' total control over Oregon politics could end with the race for governor
- What to watch: O Jolie night
- More than 100 people are dead and dozens are missing in storm-ravaged Philippines
Ranking
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- This Under $10 Vegan & Benzene-Free Dry Shampoo Has 6,300+ 5-Star Amazon Reviews
- Coping with climate change: Advice for kids — from kids
- Get 2 Peter Thomas Roth Invisible Priming Sunscreens for Less Than the Price of 1
- Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
- Money will likely be the central tension in the U.N.'s COP27 climate negotiations
- How ancient seeds in Lebanon could help us adapt to climate change
- One Uprooted Life At A Time, Climate Change Drives An American Migration
Recommendation
Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
Here's what happened on Day 5 of the U.N.'s COP27 climate talks
Bindi Irwin Shares How Daughter Grace Honors Dad Steve Irwin’s Memory
Travis Barker’s Daughter Alabama Shares Why Kourtney Kardashian Is the Best Stepmom
Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
Hailey Bieber Recalls Facing Saddest, Hardest Moments in Her Life Since Start of 2023
How glaciers melted 20,000 years ago may offer clues about climate change's effects
Can a middle school class help scientists create a cooler place to play?