Fiona Harvey Files $170 Million Lawsuit Against Netflix Over Her Alleged Portrayal of 'Baby Reindeer'

Lina Portman2 weeks ago

5 2 minutes read

Netflix was sued Thursday for at least $170 million by a Scottish woman who said she was defamed for her portrayal of a stalker in the hit miniseries “Baby Reindeer.”

The plaintiff, Fiona Harvey, publicly claimed to be the inspiration for the character of Martha, played by actress Jessica Gunning, who shares a physical resemblance and is, like her, a lawyer in London.

But in a lawsuit filed in federal court in Los Angeles, Harvey said Netflix and “Baby Reindeer” creator Richard Gadd went too far in suggesting through the series, which calls itself “true story,” that she was a twice-convicted stalker who was sentenced to five years in prison.

Richard Gadd as Donny Dunn, left, and Jessica Gunning as Martha appear in a scene from Netflix's “Baby Reindeer.” Fiona Harvey, who has publicly claimed to be the inspiration for the character Martha, has filed a multi-million dollar defamation suit against Netflix.

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Harvey has denied stalking Gadd, who plays a fictionalized version of himself named Donny Dunn on the show, or being convicted or imprisoned.

But she said many people can't tell the difference, and thousands of Reddit and TikTok users refer to her as the “real” Martha.

“Defendants told these lies, and never stopped, because it was a better story than the truth, and the best stories made money,” the complaint states.

Netflix did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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The lawsuit seeks at least $50 million each for actual damages, compensatory damages, including mental anguish, and profits, plus at least $20 million in punitive damages.

Harvey filed the lawsuit two days after Netflix settled a defamation lawsuit filed by former prosecutor Linda Fairstein over her performance in “When They See Us,” a 2019 series about the Central Park rape case Five three decades earlier.

Netflix has agreed to move a disclaimer to the beginning of end credits episodes indicating that some characters may have been changed for dramatic purposes. He also agreed to donate $1 million to a nonprofit that helps free the wrongly convicted.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fiona Harvey Sues Netflix for $170 Million After 'Baby Reindeer'