Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has defended Richard Gad, creator of the Netflix original series baby reindeer In a recent interview with The Times of London,. Scottish comedian Richard Judd wrote, starred in and executive produced the series, which became a huge hit for the streaming giant. baby reindeer The film tells the true story of Gad's experiences as a stand-up comedian and bartender who finds himself being stalked by a woman named Martha. The Netflix miniseries was a huge hit, spending three weeks at the top of the charts in most English-speaking countries. The show has now won six of its 11 Emmy nominations.
But the show and its creator have found themselves the subject of controversy. At the time of its release, viewers decided to become internet sleuths, working to identify the alleged stalker. Eventually, a Scottish woman claimed she was defamed on Stalkergate and filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix in June for nearly $170 million. The plaintiff, Fiona Harvey, publicly claimed she was the inspiration behind the character of Martha (Jessica Gunning). In May, Harvey called the show “obscene” and “a work of fiction, an exaggeration.” She denied that she stalked Judd, claiming they met a few times, but says she never sent him the onslaught of voicemails and letters depicted in the show. She added that she owned a reindeer, but as for the nickname, “it was a joke.”
Netflix has since responded to the lawsuit, saying it intends to “vigorously defend this matter and stand by Richard Gad’s right to tell his story.” Sarandos has now said he is “proud of the show and the way Richard handled the story.” The trailer begins with the words “This is a true story,” and Sarandos defended the decision, saying:
“Nobody intended to use a label rashly. This is Richard’s true story. The fact that you see it on television means that parts of it are fictional and inserted. I’m surprised that this controversy continues.”
Netflix has a big problem with too many 'true' stories
Coincidentally, the case against baby reindeer This comes just two days after Netflix settled another defamation lawsuit, this time over the portrayal of former prosecutor Linda Fairstein in the series. when they see usThe series premiered in 2019 and focused on the “Central Park Five” case. In that lawsuit, defendants Netflix and series creator DuVernay reached a settlement with Fairstein. In a joint statement outlining the terms of the settlement, Netflix agreed to move the following disclaimer from the closing credits to the beginning of episodes.
“While the motion picture is inspired by real events and people, some characters, incidents, locations, dialogues, and names are fictionalized for dramatic purposes.”
Netflix found itself in even bigger trouble after the success of Anna's inventionRachel DeLoach Williams, a former “friend” of Anna Sorokin, filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix in August 2022 over her portrayal in Shonda Rhimes’ miniseries. The series was a dramatization of Sorokin’s infamous scam in which she pretended to be German heiress Anna Delvey, and Sorokin was eventually convicted of defrauding banks, investors, and other wealthy New York socialites.
The lawsuit alleged that the series falsely portrayed DeLoach Williams, making her appear greedy, dishonest, cowardly, manipulative and opportunistic. Williams specifically objected to the series showing her abandoning Sorokin in Morocco and betraying her to authorities. Netflix attempted to have the lawsuit dismissed, citing its First Amendment right to take “literary license” when interpreting controversial public figures. However, the case was allowed to proceed.
flow
baby reindeer
On Netflix
