“Baby Reindeer” star Richard Gadd responds to alleged stalker suing Netflix: 'Her actions took an extensive toll'

Addressing Fiona Harvey's lawsuit, the actor and series creator says that while he "used real trauma as the basis" for the show, it is nevertheless a "fictionalized" work.

The creator and star of Baby Reindeer has responded to the lawsuit filed against Netflix by a woman claiming to be the inspiration for the stalker character in the hit miniseries, asserting that while he "used real trauma as the basis" for the show, it is nevertheless a "fictionalized" work.

In a 21-page declaration filed Monday in Los Angeles federal court, Richard Gadd also provides extensive details about his alleged experiences with Fiona Harvey, who is suing Netflix for defamation and arguing that the Baby Reindeer character Martha Scott (played by Jessica Gunning) is a thinly veiled portrayal of her.

Stating that the show is "at its core, emotionally true," Gadd says in the filing that it's "not a beat-by-beat recounting of the events and emotions I experienced as they transpired. It is fictionalized, and is not intended to portray actual facts."

In a statement to Entertainment Weekly on Tuesday, a lawyer for Harvey said Gadd's document "ties itself in knots" by conceding that Baby Reindeer isn't entirely true to life. "Netflix and Richard Gadd indisputably admit Baby Reindeer is not a true story — thereby conceding the very essence of Ms. Harvey's claims," the statement said. "After asserting — under oath — that 'Martha' is not Fiona Harvey, it then engages in more attacks of Ms. Harvey, allegations that are irrelevant and have nothing to do with the litigation or the 'true story' of Baby Reindeer. Meanwhile, Richard Gadd continues to hide from the press."

Reps for Gadd didn't immediately respond to EW's request for comment. Netflix declined to comment on the matter, though a spokesperson previously told EW when Harvey filed her lawsuit, "We intend to defend this matter vigorously and to stand by Richard Gadd's right to tell his story."

Harvey sued Netflix last month for more $170 million, claiming that the streamer's "lies, malfeasance and utterly reckless misconduct" have "ruined" her life. She has accused the company of defamation, negligence, gross negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and a violation of her right to publicity, because she claims Baby Reindeer is full of "brutal lies" about her.

Related: Baby Reindeer creator announces next drama series with HBO

In his court filing, Gadd repeatedly highlights Baby Reindeer's fictitious nature. "I intentionally used characters that did not share the actual names of any persons from my life and wrote fictionalized dialogue and scenes," he states. "Each of the characters from the Series has some imagined personality traits and events that I specifically selected to make them useful as dramatic devices." Gadd says that in attempting to make both protagonist Donny and antagonist Martha complex characters, "my hope was that the audience would recognize that neither of them was truly the aggressor nor the victim."

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Gadd goes on to share detailed allegations of his experience with Harvey in the mid-2010s. "Harvey subsequently stalked and harassed me throughout 2014-2017," he says, claiming that she constantly visited the pub where he worked and memorized his shift schedule — even going so far as calling the establishment to ask if he was working that day or not. "Sometimes she would stay for my entire shift, other times she would stay a few hours," he alleges. "Sometimes she would just say something and abruptly leave."

The actor asserts that Harvey's alleged behavior "quickly grew concerning" and negatively impacted his ability to work effectively at the pub, claiming she made a habit of "interjecting as I tried to serve tables, and talking to most customers I served at the bar" and making crude jokes at his expense.

Eventually, Gadd claims that Harvey's harassment became physical. "Harvey often attempted to touch me in inappropriate (and sometimes sexual) ways," he says. "Harvey pinched and touched various parts of my body, including my bum, and was generally very 'handsy' towards me." Gadd says that Harvey falsely told pub customers that the two of them had sex, and that she "followed me around town, sometimes very close to where I live, and she attended many of my comedy and theatre performances." He also says that Harvey sent him thousands of emails as well as numerous voicemails and handwritten letters, many of which were threatening and/or sexually explicit in tone.

Related: Baby Reindeer star Nava Mau on Teri's 'fire' — and the 'tiny panic attack' she had filming that Martha assault scene

Gadd says he contacted local police about the situation with Harvey, and claims that her alleged behavior caused him considerable anxiety. "I genuinely was worried that she might harm me or my parents — my parents especially," he maintains. "Her actions took an extensive toll on my physical and especially my mental well-being."

Gadd concludes his statement by noting that he explicitly asked Baby Reindeer viewers to refrain from speculating about the identity of the real-life inspiration for Martha, and says that Harvey willingly identified her connection to the show.

"I was surprised that Harvey appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored," Gadd says. "I understand she claimed that she was the inspiration for the Martha character, and that she never sent me thousands of emails nor left me any voicemails. She harassed and stalked me over several years, and since her interview, other individuals have contacted me through my agents and publicists and said they were also harassed by Harvey, but all were too scared of her to come forward."

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.