After the dazzling success of the British series in the spring, the one who was identified as the real Martha came out of silence and decided to sue the streaming platform for defamation.
This is a setback for Netflix. While the series My Little Reindeer enjoyed dazzling success when it was released on the streaming platform last April, this hit has now had legal repercussions. The series, which is said to be “a true story” as it is stated on screen, tells the story of how a comedian who works in a bar quickly becomes the obsession of a vulnerable and lonely woman named Martha. The crush turns into harassment to the point of no return.
Despite the creator of the series begging Internet users not to investigate, fans of My Little Reindeer discovered the identity of the real Martha. He would have identified her as a certain Fiona Harvey, and threats would have been made to her again. The latter stated in a complaint filed against Netflix, consulted by AFP, that the statement that the series was “a true story” would be “the biggest lie in the history of television”. She demanded $170 million in compensation.
The plaintiff believes she has been defamed by the streaming platform and says she has suffered moral damage as a result: “It is a lie told by Netflix and by the creator of the series, Richard Gadd, out of greed and thirst for fame; is a lie intended to attract more viewers, attention, make more money and viciously destroy the life of the complainant, Fiona Harvey” because “it was a better story than reality”, it is stated in the document. During a television interview on May 9 at Piers Morgan’s house, the latter completely denied ever having harassed Richard Gadd or having attacked him. Netflix did not respond to requests from Agenda France Presse.
A true story with some differences
My Little Reindeer would be directly inspired by the experience of Richard Gadd, creator and main actor of the series. In 2015, when he was in his twenties, he said he was the victim of an older stalker. But so that she does not recognize herself in the series or that she is not harassed in turn, the actor assured that he changed certain events and the names of the protagonists.
Among the main changes that would have been made by the Netflix series, we find the very conclusion of this story. In the series, Martha is arrested and pleads guilty to harassment, receiving nine months in prison and a restraining order for five years. In real life, we don’t really know what happened to the real stalker. Richard Gadd assured in the columns of Times that she however did not go to prison but that she was forbidden to contact him. The creator of the series thus assures that he did not want to “throw someone so mentally unstable into prison” but that the situation was “resolved”.
What is the plot of My Little Reindeer ?
Donny Dunn is a broke comedian who works as a bartender. He meets Martha, a lonely woman who develops an obsession with him. This unhealthy relationship turns into harassment and will havee terrible repercussions, forcing him to confront deeply buried trauma. Inspired by Richard Gadd’s award-winning single on stage and presented at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Which actors in the casting of My Little Reindeer ?
- Richard Gadd as Donny
- Jessica Gunning: Martha
- Nava Mau
Where to see My Little Reindeer in streaming ?
My Little Reindeer is a mini-series in seven episodes lasting around thirty minutes. To discover it, you must go exclusively to the Netflix streaming platform. The audiovisual giant is accessible only by subscription. Several offers exist: the standard with advertising (5.99 euros per month), the standard (13.49 euros per month) and the premium (19.99 euros per month).