Netflix
Baby Reindeer has become an unexpected breakout hit for Netflix, but the attention has come with unwanted consequences, according to creatives behind the series.
Jessica Gunning, who stars as Martha in the drama, has called on fans to stop trying to identify the characters after social media has been flooded with false allegations.
Created by and starring Richard Gadd (Donny), Baby Reindeer tells the true story of the Scottish writer and actor’s stalker, played by Gunning.
Produced by Clerkenwell Films, the UK company behind The End of the F*cking World, Gunning said the online Baby Reindeer speculation is “quite sad” and “not the point of the show at all.”
She told BBC Scotland’s The Edit: “If you like the show and you are a fan of it, you should stick with the story of Martha and Donny being what connects you, not trying to do any detective work and find out any real identities.”
Gadd’s friend Sean Foley, a Olivier Award-winning actor, writer and director, has been wrongly accused of being Darrien, who is portayed as grooming and sexually assaulting Donny.
Foley said he was in contact with authorities. “Police have been informed and are investigating all defamatory abusive and threatening posts against me,” he wrote on Twitter, now X.
Gunning added that Netflix went to “great lengths” to protect the identity of the people involved, including using pseudonyms for the characters.
She added: “Richard has done an amazing job of not making the story so black and white, so there’s no goody or baddy or villain or victim, really. They are just complicated people like humans are.”
Gadd has also warned fans to cease speculation. “Please don’t speculate on who any of the real-life people could be. That’s not the point of our show,” he said on Instagram.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
