The creator of My Little Reindeer asks fans not to look for the real characters in the series

“That's not the point of our series,” says Richard Gadd, while the “real” Martha was allegedly found by Internet users.

Since its release on Netflix, My little reindeer is all the rage. Almost a little too much, since its success is taking on the unhealthy proportions that the series denounces. So much so that its creator, Richard Gaddwas forced to speak.

Inspired by the story of this Scottish comedian, My little reindeer tells how he became the target of a stalkernamed Martha and performed by Jessica Gunning in the series. Harassment, attacks… the actor-writer delivers everything, even the most unbearable in this real nuanced life lesson on, among other things, cyber-harassment.

However, it seems that some Internet users did not necessarily take an example from this story, since many of them set out to find the individuals hidden behind the characters, and in particular those of Martha and Darrien.

Beware of My Little Reindeer

On posts by “sent from my Iphone” even though she doesn't have one. However, if we are to believe Richard Gadd's words, the series – and the one-man show on which it is based – is a free adaptation of reality: he took such liberties that the real Martha could not to recognize.

In an interview given to Varietyhe explains :

“This is all 100% emotionally true, if that makes sense. Everything is borrowed from situations that have happened to me and from real people I have met. But of course, we can't tell the exact truth, for both legal and artistic reasons. There are certain protections, you can't copy someone else's life and name and put it on television. And obviously we were very aware that some characters were vulnerable and we didn't want to make their lives more difficult. We must therefore change things to protect ourselves and others.”

Precautions which would not have been enough, according to the website of the Daily Recordwho claims to have found the real Martha, a Scottish woman who claims to be “the real victim here”. Concerning the fallout from the series, this woman who prefers to remain anonymous specifies:

“I have received death threats because of his series, even though many of the things he says are false. An Internet user told me 'if I find you, I'll kill you'. A man in North Carolina told me that he and another were going to harass me, the way I supposedly harassed Gadd. I slept two hours last night. What will happen if his fans actually do this?”

She continues, questioning Richard Gadd's portrayal of her and their relationship:

“I have been in the company of Richard Gadd on several occasions but I have not harassed him as he claims. His story constitutes a gross intrusion into my private life. (…) I don't think I look like him. actress who plays Martha. It's like the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard affair, I feel like I'm being persecuted like Johnny Depp. I'm Johnny Depp in this situation, I'm a victim of crazy people on the Internet. “

And then it was the turn of Sean Foley, director, actor and screenwriter friend of Richard Gadd to be harassed by fans of the series. They recognized in him, Darrien, a very dark character of My little reindeerwhich earned him countless hate messages. “The police have been informed and are investigating all defamatory, abusive and threatening messages against me,” he announced on his X account a few days ago.

A publication preceded by a message from Richard Gadd himself, which Sean Foley reposted:

“Hello everyone,

People I love, have worked with, and admire (including Sean Foley) are unfairly caught up in speculation.

Please don't speculate on the identities of these characters. That's not the point of our series.

With lots of love

Richard x

The objective of his series, Richard Gadd explains it in his interview with Variety : “While it is an examination of stalking, abuse, love and loneliness, I really wanted it to be an examination of the ramifications of trauma,” he declares.

An infernal spiral that cannot be applied to new victims.

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