Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has spoken out in defense of Richard Gadd, the creator and star of Netflix’s hit reality-based drama *Baby Reindeer*. In an interview with *The Times of London*, Sarandos addressed the controversy surrounding the show’s portrayal of a true crime stalking case, emphasizing that while the series is dramatized, the core plot is based on Gadd’s real-life experience.
“It was no one’s intent to use a label recklessly,” Sarandos said, referring to the “true story” label attached to the show. “That is Richard’s true story.” He acknowledged that parts of the show were fictionalized for television but expressed surprise that the debate about its authenticity continued.
The controversy escalated when Fiona Harvey, who claims to be the real-life figure depicted as “Martha” in *Baby Reindeer*, filed a $170 million lawsuit against Netflix in the Californian District Court. Harvey alleges the series wrongfully portrays her as a convicted stalker and disputes sexual assault claims made by Gadd. Her lawsuit accuses Netflix of defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence, asserting that the streaming platform “told these lies, and never stopped, because it was a better story than the truth, and better stories made money.”
