'Baby Reindeer' Creator Encourages Viewers to Focus on Storytelling, Not Real-Life Comparisons

Richard Gadd 2 Baby Reindeer

Richard Gadd Ed Miller/Netflix

Richard Gadd, star of Baby Reindeer, is thrilled that viewers are loving the new show based on his life. However, he is concerned about fans trying to figure out who the real-life inspirations behind the characters are.

In a message shared on his Instagram Story on Monday, April 22, Gadd, 34, expressed his worry about people he cares about, works with, and admires, like Sean Foley, being dragged into speculation. He kindly asked fans not to speculate on the identities of the real-life individuals, emphasizing that it goes against the purpose of their show.

Foley, who was singled out in the social media post, also commented on the invasion of privacy, stating through X, "The police have been notified and are looking into all defamatory, abusive, and threatening posts directed at me."

Baby Reindeer, which made its debut on Netflix recently, is a TV series based on Gadd's autobiographical one-man show with the same title. The show is inspired by Gadd's personal ordeal of being stalked and sexually assaulted.

Gadd is not only the show’s creator, writer, and executive producer but also portrays a fictionalized version of himself in Baby Reindeer. The series revolves around Donny, a struggling comedian played by Gadd, whose life takes a dramatic turn when he meets Martha (Jessica Gunning). This chance meeting triggers a series of events with Martha persistently following Donny for months.

Richard Gadd and Jessica Gunning Baby Reindeer

Richard Gadd and Jessica Gunning star in Ed Miller, a Netflix show.

Gadd shared with Variety that the show is "emotionally 100 percent true, if that makes sense." The content is inspired by real-life experiences he had and people he met. However, Gadd mentions that for legal and artistic reasons, the exact truth cannot be portrayed.

Gadd explained that he took precautions to prevent viewers from being able to identify the real-life people behind the characters.

Jessica Gunning Baby Reindeer

Jessica Gunning Ed Miller/Netflix

"We can't just take someone's life and put it on TV without protections," he explained. "We have to be mindful that some characters are vulnerable, so we need to make changes to prevent any harm to them or ourselves."

Online sleuths were determined to uncover the real identities of Martha and Donny's girlfriend Teri (played by Nava Mau), who was based on Gadd's ex-girlfriend. Social media buzzed about the character Darrien (portrayed by Tom Goodman-Hill), an older TV writer who manipulated and abused Donny.

Richard Gadd Baby Reindeer

Richard Gadd Ed Miller/Netflix

Earlier this month, Gadd opened up about how creating Baby Reindeer served as a “catharsis” for him.

He mentioned in an interview on This Morning that he aimed to portray the complexities of human nature. Instead of the typical stalker stories where one person is portrayed as entirely good and the other as entirely bad, he wanted to show that people are a mix of both good and bad qualities.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, reach out to the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Editor's P/S:

The article highlights Richard Gadd's concerns over the potential invasion of privacy faced by individuals portrayed in his autobiographical show, "Baby Reindeer." Gadd emphasizes the importance of protecting the identities of those involved, particularly those who are vulnerable. The show, while based on Gadd's personal experiences, has been adapted to safeguard the privacy of real-life individuals.

Despite Gadd's precautions, online speculation has persisted, prompting him to express his discomfort. This underscores the delicate balance between artistic expression and the need to respect the privacy of individuals depicted in creative works. It also raises questions about the ethical implications of using real-life experiences as the basis for entertainment, especially when it involves sensitive or traumatic events.