“My Little Reindeer”: the so-called Martha files a complaint against Netflix
On June 6, the British Fiona Harvey filed a complaint against Netflix in a Californian court, reports the Los Angeles Times. She accuses the platform of having left Richard Gadd, the creator of the series My little reindeer, defame her and cause her moral damage. She is demanding 170 million dollars (156 million euros) in compensation.
In My little reindeer, a series put online on April 11, Richard Gadd is inspired by his personal story. It features Donny Dunn, a protagonist who is the victim of a stalker called Martha (played by Jessica Gunning). The series received critical acclaim and international success, leading some fans to try to find the real identities of the characters who appear on screen.
The continuation of a lively controversy
In a post on Instagram on April 22, Richard Gadd tried to dissuade fans from carrying out this type of investigation. If his series is presented as “a true story”, according to him, it is above all a “emotional truth”. In an interview with the British daily The Guardian, he clarified that he resorted to fiction to protect the people who inspired his scenario:
“If I wanted people to be identified, I would have made a documentary.”
On May 8, while her name was circulating on social networks, Fiona Harvey, a 58-year-old Scottish woman, claimed to be Martha on the set of a show hosted on YouTube by Piers Morgan. In her complaint, she denies the actions attributed to her in My little reindeer. She accuses Richard Gadd of “lie” at his place, in an attempt “to attract more viewers”, of “earn more money” and “viciously destroy one’s life”, sums it up Los Angeles Times.
