Fiona Harvey, a Scottish law graduate, has filed a lawsuit against Netflix Inc. and Netflix Worldwide Entertainment, LLC, alleging defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence over her portrayal in the Netflix drama series Baby Reindeer.
The lawsuit filed in California accuses the streaming giant and the show’s creator Richard Gadd of falsely depicting her as a twice-convicted stalker who sexually assaulted Gadd.
Harvey, who claims she has never committed any crime or had a sexual encounter with Gadd, is seeking at least $170 million in damages for what her lawyers describe as “brutal lies” that have destroyed her reputation and caused significant emotional distress.
Harvey’s lawsuit argues that Netflix and Gadd fabricated events for dramatic purposes, failing to verify the truthfulness of the claims made in the series.
Despite the show’s end credits stating that certain elements were fictionalised, Harvey contends that Netflix did not adequately protect her identity, leading to harassment from viewers.
The lawsuit follows Harvey’s public identification as the inspiration for the character “Martha” and her denial of the show’s allegations during a May interview with Piers Morgan. Netflix Policy Chief Benjamin King has defended the series, stating that efforts were made to disguise the real-life identities of those involved.
