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Richard Gadd Shifts Focus to Positive Impact of “Baby Reindeer” After Emmy Win Amidst Controversy
Sep
Richard Gadd, the creator and star of Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, is choosing to highlight the positive impact of his series rather than dwell on the controversy surrounding the real-life inspiration behind his hit show. After winning the award for Best Actor in a Limited Series at the 2024 Emmys, the Scottish actor expressed his desire to move past the negative conversations sparked by the lawsuit involving Fiona Harvey, who claims to be the inspiration for the character Martha and has filed a defamation suit against Netflix.
“This is a night of celebration,” Gadd remarked in the press room following his win. “I really don’t want to talk about any of that stuff. In today’s world, it’s easy to focus on the negatives. This show has touched the lives of so many people, and that’s what matters.”
Gadd emphasized the importance of shifting the conversation toward the organizations positively affected by Baby Reindeer, pointing out that “nobody seems to be talking about that enough.” One such organization is the U.K.-based charity We Are Survivors, which supports male survivors of sexual abuse, including transgender and non-binary individuals. The charity reported an 80% increase in first-time callers since the release of the series, with more than half of the callers citing the show as their reason for reaching out.
Duncan Craig, CEO and founder of We Are Survivors, shared with The Independent that the response has been unprecedented. “With Baby Reindeer, it’s been absolutely instantaneous. In my 15 years in this field, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Craig said. He noted that many new website visitors came through a link provided by Netflix, showing the show’s direct influence.
An adaptation of Gadd’s autobiographical one-man show, Baby Reindeer tells the story of bartender and aspiring comedian Donny, who is forced to confront his unresolved trauma of being sexually assaulted by a mentor after dealing with an obsessive stalker named Martha (played by Jessica Gunning). The series won four Emmys, including a Supporting Actress award for Gunning.
Gunning, during her acceptance speech, expressed her gratitude to Gadd, saying, “Thank you for trusting me to be your Martha. I will never, ever forget her or you or this. It really means a lot.” She added that working on Baby Reindeer was a life-changing experience and admitted she struggled to articulate what it meant to her.
In his acceptance speech, Gadd shared a heartfelt tribute to his parents, thanking them for their unwavering support. “The thing I’m most grateful for is that they never told me what I needed to do with my life, and they never told me who I needed to be. That’s the greatest gift a parent can give a child.”
Despite the legal challenges surrounding the show, Gadd is determined to focus on the real and lasting impact Baby Reindeer has had on survivors of sexual violence, ensuring the conversation stays centered on healing and support.
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