'Baby Reindeer' creator urges fans to stop tracking down people who inspired characters
"Baby Reindeer," the hit new limited series by Richard Gadd, is sending audiences into a frenzy by searching for the real-life people that the characters on the show are based on.
Gadd, who created the seven-part miniseries and stars in it as Donny Dunn, follows his own experience with an alleged stalker when he was in his 20s.
In an interview with The Times, Gadd said that his alleged stalker, who he named Martha Scott (played by Jessica Gunning) in the show to protect their identity, "started to invade my life, following me, turning up at my gigs, waiting outside my house, sending thousands of voicemails and emails."
"I was physically scared because I didn't know how far she could take it, she could have a knife, but I did think how terrifying it would be if she was a tall scary man," he added.
He told The Times that things are "resolved" with his alleged stalker, but turned his experience into a one-man show, which is now the hit miniseries.
And since the show premiered on Netflix on April 11, viewers are trying to find who the real people are behind the characters.
"There's just been a new rise of people trying to find out and uncover the real life identities of these characters," Hollywood Reporter senior staff writer Chris Gardner told "Good Morning America." "And that's just been a kind of a crazy thing to witness for the show about [a] stalker as it's turned its own fans into stalkers."
"Because this story in itself is so shocking, but also so powerful and profound, and really heartfelt, that has inspired even more people to try to find out who the real people are," Gardner added.
Last week, the Daily Mail spoke to a woman who claims Martha in the series is based on her. The publication, who didn't name her, said that she told them that she's received "death threats and abuse from Richard Gadd supporters."
"He's using Baby Reindeer to stalk me now," she reportedly told the Daily Mail. "I'm the victim. He's written a bloody show about me."
Last week, a U.K. actor, writer and director took to social media to say that he's been defamed by people believing he may have inspired another character in the show. He said on X, "Police have been informed and are investigating all defamatory abusive and threatening posts against me."
In response, Gadd shared a message on his Instagram story encouraging viewers to stop speculating and trying to find the real life people behind his characters on the show.
"Hi Everyone, People I love, have worked with, and admire... are unfairly getting caught up in speculation," Gadd said. "Please don't speculate on who any of the real life people could be. That's not the point of our show. Lots of love, Richard x X."
Gardner spoke about the obsession people have when it comes to sleuthing on social media.
"I think one of the reasons why the fandom has really locked into finding out the true identities of these people is because that's the kind of era that we live in, we're in the middle of a still ongoing true crime boom," Gardner said. "There's going to be more of a hunger for real life stories, but there's also going to be more of a hunger online and more of a frenzy. Dare I say, of people who want to know who the real people are."
Gadd reflected about the meaning of "Baby Reindeer" in "The True Story Behind Baby Reindeer," a 12-minute documentary about the show.
"It's a stalker story done differently," he said. "It shows, in my opinion, the messy side of stalking. The side of stalking which isn't essentially black and white."
"I am aware that 'Baby Reindeer' touches on themes that are quite current and quite present in society but I like to think it doesn't form an opinion around – or ram a sense of morals down people's throat," he added. "Ultimately, yeah, it's just an autobiographical story that I felt the need to tell -- this story of a messed up period of time in my life."
