“This is a true story.”
So begins “Baby Reindeer,” and those five words, which appear on a title card, have ignited a firestorm of controversy. Now, Netflix’s runaway hit about an aspiring comedian named Donny Dunn is facing uncomfortable scrutiny over its depiction of thinly veiled real-life people.
On June 6, Fiona Harvey filed a $170 million lawsuit against Netflix, claiming the series falsely presented her as a sexual predator and a twice-convicted stalker who was sentenced to five years in prison. (The character is named Martha, but fans identified Harvey as the series’ real-life antagonist within days of “Baby Reindeer”’s April 11 release, unleashing a torrent of online vitriol at her.) “As a result of [Netflix’s] lies, malfeasance and utterly reckless misconduct, Harvey’s life had been ruined,” the suit states. In response, Netflix said it stands by “Baby Reindeer” creator-writer-star Richard Gadd and his “right to tell his story.”
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