Baby Reindeer, released on Netflix, received mixed feedback. According to sources, rumors circulated that the story was based on a 48-year-old woman from Scotland. Moreover, the creator of the series, Richard Gadd, wrote the series based on a true story and faced skepticism about its accuracy.
Fiona Harvey, who claimed to be the real-life Martha, sued Netflix for damages, alleging the series was a scam. The lawsuit, reportedly amounting to $170 million, sought to prove the series’ reliance on real events.
Now, as per recent news, on September 10, a federal judge set a May 6 start date for Fiona Harvey’s big-swing action against Netflix. The proceedings are estimated to last about two weeks.
While Netlfix had nothing to say about the trial start date for the series, however, the company, led by Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters, reiterated its earlier statement, affirming its intention “to defend this matter vigorously and to stand by Richard Gadd’s right to tell his story.” as per Deadline.
The lawsuit which was filed on June 6, 2024, that the character Martha from Baby Reindeer is based on her, but Richard Gadd, the creator and star of the show, has disputed this, stating that Martha is a fictional character with traits different from Harvey’s.
Furthermore, Gadd’s July 28 declaration supported Netflix’s attempt to dismiss the lawsuit, stating that the show’s “true story” disclaimer is not literal and calling Harvey’s defamation claim “insufficient.”
In his declaration, Gadd avoids the “this is a true story” slate that appears at the beginning of Baby Reindeer. This news comes in the wake of the series being nominated for a string of awards at the 76th Primetime Emmys ceremony.
Having already won the Casting and Picture Editing awards at the Creative Arts Emmys, the series is now up for Best Limited or Anthology Series and a Lead Actor in a Limited Series, as well as a Best Supporting Actress nom for co-star Jessica Gunning.
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