Netflix’s attempt to dismiss a defamation lawsuit from Fiona Harvey, the woman who inspired the stalker character in the series “Baby Reindeer,” has been unsuccessful. Harvey alleges that the streaming giant portrayed her in a misleading light, telling “brutal lies” to an audience of over 50 million viewers worldwide.
The show, created by Richard Gadd, is marketed as “a true story.” However, a recent ruling by Judge Gary Klausner highlighted significant discrepancies between the narrative and actual events, particularly regarding the portrayal of Harvey’s conviction for stalking, which did not occur in real life.
In response to the ruling, Netflix stated, “We intend to defend this matter vigorously and to stand by Richard Gadd’s right to tell his story.”
Judge Klausner noted, “There is a major difference between stalking and being convicted of stalking in a court of law.” He further emphasized that numerous other events depicted in the series, including accusations of sexual assault and violent attacks, were also misrepresented. Harvey contends she did not engage in any of these actions, including stalking a police officer or violently attacking Gadd.
While Netflix argued that certain claims should be considered “substantially true” due to similar behaviors, the judge countered, stating, “There are major differences between inappropriate touching and sexual assault, as well as between shoving and gouging another’s eyes.”
The judge pointed out that Gadd’s original stage play was described as being “based on a true story,” which implies that some details might be fictionalized. A Sunday Times report indicated that Gadd had raised concerns with Netflix about the show’s presentation as “a true story,” suggesting that the decision to proceed may have demonstrated “reckless disregard” for the truth.
Netflix maintained that viewers would perceive the claims made in the show as dramatized rather than factual. However, Judge Klausner disagreed, stating that the show’s opening episode explicitly claims, “this is a true story,” thus inviting the audience to interpret the statements as factual.
Although the judge dismissed some of Harvey’s claims, including allegations of negligence and her request for punitive damages, he ruled that the similarities between Harvey and the character Martha were substantial enough to warrant the continuation of the lawsuit.
“Baby Reindeer,” one of the year’s most popular television hits, recently garnered six Emmy Awards in the United States, further solidifying its status in the entertainment landscape.
