Acclaimed television show "Reindeer Baby" - Netflix is being sued by the "actual Martha."
A Scottish woman, Fiona Harvey, has filed a lawsuit against the international streaming service, Netflix, claiming to be the inspiration for Richard Gadd's (35) popular Netflix series "Rentierbaby." She seeks damages of at least $170 million, accusing Netflix of defamation, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Harvey denies being a "twice-convicted stalker sentenced to five years in prison" or someone who "sexually abused" Gadd, which are key aspects of the Netflix series. She believes that Netflix has spread "lies" about her to over 50 million people, tarnishing her reputation and causing significant emotional distress.
The Netflix series "Rentierbaby" features themes similar to Harvey's life, such as being a lawyer and a past connection with Gadd, which further supports her claim of being the "real Martha." The series creator, Gadd, had earlier claimed to have deliberately concealed the identity of the "real Martha" in the series. However, it wasn't long before internet sleuths uncovered her social media accounts, revealing their interaction during the time the series was set.
According to the lawsuit, the identification of Harvey as "Martha" was quick and easy due to the publicly available information. The lawsuit also mentions that Netflix failed to verify the "true story" Gadd had shared, which Netflix mentions at the beginning of the series.
The lawsuit further states that Harvey seeks "more than $170 million" in damages, including: $50 million for actual damages, $50 million for "mental anguish, lost enjoyment of life, and business losses," $50 million "for all profits from Rentierbaby," and another $20 million in punitive damages.
In an interview with the British "Daily Mirror," Gadd had shared that the series is based on his own experience of being "heavily stalked and abused," which Harvey claims had never happened.
