Richard Judd, creator of “Baby Reindeer,” has struck a deal with Netflix for first-run rights, even though his series has sparked a $170 million defamation lawsuit.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos made the announcement at the Royal Television Society conference in London on Tuesday morning in response to a question from journalist Kirsty Work about the lawsuit, saying the company stands by Judd.
“We’re making it easier for storytellers to tell their stories,” Sarandos said when Work asked him if Netflix had made a mistake in calling the series “True Story.” “This is Richard’s true story. We’ve done it.” [signing] “We have a first-look deal with Richard Judd to do his next work on Netflix… We are very proud of Richard and proud of the story he told and the way he told it.”
“It’s not a documentary,” the streaming boss added. “We’re watching it played out by actors on TV – we think it’s quite clear that there’s drama involved. I’d also like to point out that this is a uniquely British debate, and this debate isn’t happening anywhere else in the world around Baby Reindeer.”
“Baby Reindeer” won six Emmys on Sunday, including best limited series or anthology, best screenplay, best lead actor for Gad and best supporting actress for Jessica Gunning.
Gunning portrayed Martha, who pursues struggling comedian Donnie Dunn, with whom she enters into a complicated relationship. The story was based on Gad's personal experiences, with the writer and actor recounting diverse In April, he confirmed that what was depicted in the series was “100% emotionally real”.
“All of this is based on events that happened to me and to real people I met,” he said. “But of course, you can’t tell the truth exactly, for legal and technical reasons.”
These legal grounds came into play in June, when a Scottish woman named Fiona Harvey sued Netflix for $170 million, alleging defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and violation of her right of publicity.
Netflix has stood by Gad since the lawsuit was filed, saying, “We intend to vigorously defend this matter and stand by Richard Gad's right to tell his story.”
