Netflix is ​​facing a $170 million lawsuit over the depiction of a Baby Reindeer stalker

Scottish woman says it only took thousands of Reddit and TikTok users “within days” to recognize her as the inspiration behind Netflix’s stalker Reindeer baby The chain has She filed a $170 million defamation suit Against Netflix and show creator Richard Gadd. Fiona Harvey claims her “identity and likeness” were used for the character Martha Scott, played by Jessica Gunning, who tells “brutal lies” motivated by “greed and lust for fame” that destroyed her “reputation, character and life”. “

In the series, which claims in its title card to be a “true story” based on Gad’s personal experiences, the comedian plays a fictionalized version of himself who is pursued by Martha. Although Harvey is not mentioned in the show by name, the suit says her identity as the basis for Martha was “completely unconvincing” and claims Netflix “did literally nothing” to verify the veracity of the events depicted.

“The lies the defendants told about Harvey to more than 50 million people around the world include that Harvey is a stalker who was convicted twice and sentenced to five years in prison, and that Harvey sexually assaulted Gad,” Harvey’s lawyers said. In filing. “The defendants told these lies, and they never stopped, because it was a better story than the truth, and better stories make money.”

Formerly serious Tell Watchman that Reindeer baby “The story is very emotionally true, obviously: I was so stalked and so abused. But we wanted it to exist in the art space, and also protect the people it depends on,” Netflix said in a statement. Statement to CNN The company intends to “vigorously defend this matter and stand by Richard Judd’s right to tell his story.”