Credit: Inside the MagicNetflix may be in some hot water when it comes to one of the most recent lawsuits against the streaming giant.
There have been many lawsuits against Netflix.
For example, in 2019, Netflix faced a lawsuit from the heirs of Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The heirs claimed that Netflix’s adaptation of the book infringed on their copyright and violated their moral rights. The case was eventually settled out of court.
In 2020, Netflix faced a lawsuit from the family of the late Anthony Bourdain, the chef and television personality. The lawsuit alleged that Netflix breached its contract with Bourdain and failed to provide adequate mental health support.
In 2021, Netflix faced a lawsuit from the family of a child who died after watching the show Squid Game. The lawsuit claimed that the show glorifies violence and suicide, and that it contributed to the child’s death. Netflix denied the allegations and the case was dismissed.
In 2023, Netflix faced a lawsuit from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) over its use of artificial intelligence (AI) to generate scripts. The WGA argued that Netflix’s use of AI violated its contract and could lead to job losses for human writers.
These are just a few examples of the types of lawsuits Netflix has faced in recent years. The company’s legal landscape is constantly evolving, and it is likely to face new challenges in the future.
Related: Netflix Victorious in Texas Child Pornography Lawsuit From ‘School of Rock’ Actor
One of the most recent cases circles around the hugely popular show Baby Reindeer.
Baby Reindeer is a dark comedy-drama miniseries that aired on Netflix in 2024. It is based on the autobiographical one-man show of the same name by Richard Gadd, who also stars in the series.
The series follows the story of Donny Dunn, a struggling comedian who encounters a mysterious woman named Martha Scott. Martha becomes obsessed with Donny and begins to stalk him, claiming to be a wealthy lawyer. As Donny’s life unravels, he is forced to confront his own dark past and the devastating consequences of Martha’s obsession.
While Baby Reindeer is based on Gadd’s personal experiences, it is not a completely true story. Gadd has acknowledged that he exaggerated certain elements of his encounters with Martha for dramatic effect, which is where the ongoing lawsuit finds issue.
Baby Reindeer received critical acclaim for its dark humor, powerful performances, and exploration of mental health issues. The series was nominated for several awards, including the BAFTA TV Award for Best Mini-Series and the Edinburgh Fringe First Award. It also took home a whopping 4 Emmy Awards.
Fiona Harvey, a Scottish lawyer, has won a significant legal victory against Netflix over the show Baby Reindeer. Harvey claims that the character “Martha,” a stalker who obsesses over the failing comedian “Donny Dunn,” is based on her.
The show, created by Richard Gadd, is loosely based on Gadd’s real-life experiences with an obsessive stalker. However, Harvey asserts that the show portrays her inaccurately, claiming she was never convicted of stalking, sexually assaulted Gadd, or sat outside his home for 16 hours a day.
Harvey is seeking $170 million in damages from Netflix, arguing that the show has ruined her life. Despite living in the UK, she filed the lawsuit in the United States to potentially seek a larger compensation payment.
Baby Reindeer was a critically acclaimed show, winning two Emmys for Gadd. However, the lawsuit highlights the potential legal implications of basing characters on real people, even if the portrayal is fictionalized.
The judge ruled against Netflix’s motion to dismiss the case, finding that Harvey’s portrayal in the show could potentially lead to a defamation lawsuit. Netflix argued that the character was fictional and that no reasonable person would associate “Martha” with Harvey. However, the judge disagreed, citing specific instances where the show inaccurately portrayed Harvey, such as her criminal record and her actions towards Gadd.
Harvey’s legal team highlighted that Gadd himself had described the show as “based on a true story” in interviews, further supporting her claim that “Martha” was based on her.
Per PEOPLE, In his order, Judge Gary Klausner compared Gadd’s experience with Harvey to Martha’s actions in the series, stating that “there is a major difference between stalking and being convicted of stalking in a court of law,” “inappropriate touching and sexual assault” and “shoving and gouging.”
While Netflix succeeded in having some of Harvey’s claims dismissed, the case remains ongoing. Harvey faces the challenge of proving that Netflix defamed her, which could be difficult given her own admission of stalking Gadd.
“It’s very emotionally true, obviously: I was severely stalked and severely abused,” Gadd said. “But we wanted it to exist in the sphere of art, as well as protect the people it’s based on.”
The judge, however, disagreed and stated that the events portrayed “would be interpreted as assertions of fact.”
Klausner wrote, “The very first episode states unequivocally that ‘this is a true story,’ thereby inviting the audience to accept the statements as fact.”
Gadd alleged in his court filing that Harvey made unwanted “sexual” advances toward him and claimed that she obtained his personal information and contacted him “relentlessly.” He reported receiving “thousands” of emails, voicemails, and handwritten letters, which included “sexually explicit, violent, and derogatory content, hateful speech, and threats.”
He also stated that he became “fearful” of Harvey as her stalking persisted and eventually reached out to the police to pursue legal action when her messages became increasingly sexually explicit.
The case has significant implications for the entertainment industry, as it raises questions about the legal boundaries of portraying real people in fictional works.
Do you think that this lawsuit against Netflix should proceed?