Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd has responded to viewers who are trying to find the real-life stalker from the miniseries, discouraging them from their search. The Netflix limited series is loosely based on Gadd’s real-life experiences with a stalker, where he portrays Donny Dunn, a young man stalked by an older woman and sexually assaulted by a TV writer. Because the series is based on his life experiences, it has led to public speculation about who the real figures in his story actually are.
Now, TV Insider reports that, in an Instagram story, Gadd asked viewers not to try searching to figure out who on the Baby Reindeer cast corresponds with real-life figures involved in his story. The creator mentioned one of his friends, director and writer Sean Foley, was caught up in speculation, saying it’s unfair to accuse people without evidence of crimes. Check out what Gadd had to say below:
Gadd’s response to people searching for the real-world people involved in Baby Reindeer‘s true story makes sense, as his miniseries is a fictionalized version of events he experienced. The actor was indeed stalked by someone for three years, though he has previously opened up about how he saw her as a victim of mental illness, not a purposefully malicious person. He was also sexually assaulted in that time period, something he previously used as the basis for his solo act Monkey See, Monkey Do.
Given just how personal the details of his stalking and assault were, Gadd’s willingness to share these events through his TV series is already an open engagement of his trauma. Viewers trying to find out who the real people behind these events were could have real-world consequences that go beyond the art he created from his experiences. Although the series shares personal details cloaked in the fiction of its narrative, that doesn’t make it right for the audience to try taking justice into their own hands.
While this means the identity of Baby Reindeer‘s real Martha will remain unknown to viewers, it’s clear Gadd still wants to respect the privacy of those involved in these dark periods of his life. Even though it’s possible details will emerge someday, it’s better that it doesn’t come from viewers trying to be detectives to uncover the whole story. With plenty of details already shared through its fictionalization, the miniseries is better watched on its own than treated as the basis for an investigation.
Source: TV Insider