Woman files $170 million lawsuit against Netflix for sharing ‘Baby Reindeer’ link

A woman claiming to be the real-life inspiration behind a character in Netflix’s hit series “Baby Reindeer” has filed a defamation lawsuit against the streaming service, seeking a whopping $170 million in damages.

Fiona Harvey, the plaintiff, alleges that the show has portrayed her in a negative light, leading to what she describes as unprecedented levels of defamation. The seven-episode series, based on a one-man play by Richard Gadd, follows the story of a Scottish comedian and his stalker, with the opening sequence claiming it to be a true story.

In the show, a bartender named Donny Dunn, played by Gadd, encounters a customer named Martha, played by Jessica Gunning, who becomes obsessed with him and begins to stalk him. Harvey claims that the character of Martha is based on her, and that the show has spread “brutal lies” about her to over 50 million viewers worldwide.

The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Los Angeles, alleges that the show falsely portrays Harvey as a convicted stalker who was sentenced to five years in prison and sexually assaulted Gadd. Despite the success of “Baby Reindeer” on Netflix, with 2.8 million views in its eighth week, the lawsuit has raised questions about the authenticity of so-called true-story television.

Netflix has stated that it will vigorously defend the lawsuit and support Gadd’s right to tell his story. Meanwhile, fans of the show have been on a mission to uncover the real-life identities behind the characters, leading to a controversial legal battle that has captured the attention of millions.