Fiona Harvey sues Netflix for £135 million over "Baby Reindeer" portrayal
Fiona Harvey admitted that she inspired the character Martha Scott in the popular Netflix series "Baby Reindeer". She has filed a lawsuit against the service, seeking £135 million in damages.
On 6 June 2024, the Central California District Court received an accusation from Fiona Harvey, claiming that Netflix committed defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, gross negligence, and violation of her right to image.
The "real Martha" demands £135 million from Netflix for "Baby Reindeer"
It all started in April of this year when Richard Gadd's "Baby Reindeer" series appeared on the platform. True events from his life allegedly inspired him, and according to Harvey, she was "the real Martha."
Fiona Harvey stated that there is no possibility that she sent Gadd 41,000 emails, hundreds of voice messages, and 106 letters because she is not a stalker. As she emphasized in an interview with Piers Morgan:
- I don’t think I sent him anything. There may have been a couple of emails, jokey banter, but that is it - explained Harvey.
Returning to the lawsuit, Harvey and her lawyers accuse Netflix of telling "lies that Defendants told about Harvey to over 50 million people worldwide", portraying her as a twice-convicted stalker who sexually harassed Gadd. In quotes from The Guardian, they stated that, in their opinion, "defendants told these lies, and never stopped, because it was a better story than the truth, and better stories made money".
- "Netflix, a multi-national billion dollar entertainment streaming company, did literally nothing to confirm the ‘true story’ that Gadd told," emphasizes Harvey in the lawsuit, adding that "as a result of Defendants’ lies, malfeasance, and utterly reckless misconduct, Harvey’s life had been ruined."
- "Simply, Netflix and Gadd destroyed her reputation, her character and her life" - reads the lawsuit.
Thus, Harvey now demands at least £40 million for "actual damages", at least £40 million in compensation for "mental anguish, loss of enjoyment and loss of business", at least £40 million for "all profits from 'Baby Reindeer", and also £16 million in punitive damages.
Netflix has already commented on the matter in a conversation with The Guardian: "We intend to defend this matter vigorously and to stand by Richard Gadd’s right to tell his story."
