Netflix had a very different idea of who they wanted to play Martha in Baby Reindeer (Picture: Ed Miller/Netflix)
It’s been claimed Netflix had a very different idea of who they wanted to play the stalker Martha in hit series Baby Reindeer.
The seven-part programme stars Jessica Gunning as the Scottish woman who stalks Richard Gadd’s character Donny Dunn.
His ordeal begins from a seemingly friendly encounter, to being sent thousands of emails when Martha’s obsession grows and turns sinister, as she begins waiting outside his house, sexually assaults him, harasses his parents and turns violent towards his girlfriend.
In recent weeks, more details about the ‘true story’ it was based on have emerged after the ‘real Martha’, said to be Fiona Harvey, came to light and spoke out in multiple interviews and an explosive Piers Morgan grilling.
She’s since brought a legal complaint and is suing Netflix for $170,000,000 (£132,000,000), alleging defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and violations of her right of publicity.
Meanwhile, Gunning has also felt the effects of the show’s roaring success, and said ‘people scream at me and run away’ in the street.
The character is played by Jessica Gunning (Picture: Ed Miller/Netflix)
Richard Gadd stars as Donny Dunn in the hit Netflix series (Picture: Ed Miller/Netflix / Avalon)
However, the star – who publicly came out as gay earlier this month – was not the only actress Netflix bosses had their eye on, according to reports.
Variety claims that Netflix ‘pushed aggressively’ for Melissa McCarthy to be cast as Martha.
A source told the publication that the Bridesmaids actress met Gadd about the role, ‘but ultimately wasn’t interested’.
Ahead of the show airing, Outlaws actress Gunning spoke about wanting to do the role ‘justice’, telling Metro.co.uk: ‘Even when there were days I wasn’t in, I was thinking of Martha and the story, just wanting to do the best I could do.
Netflix reportedly ‘pushed’ for Martha to be played by Melissa McCarthy (Picture: Getty)
The ‘real Martha’ is said to be Fiona Harvey (Picture: Piers Morgan Uncensored/TalkTV/PA Wire)
‘In that aspect, I didn’t really let go of her until we finished filming. I couldn’t really put her to bed.
‘When you do a job like this as well, it’s long hours, and you’re there, and you’re in it. With this, emotionally, everyone was really invested… it does dominate your life… it took a while to, kind of, say goodbye in a way.
‘I was really sad when it finished, to say goodbye to her.’
She also praised Gadd’s script, and though viewers will never know how accurate her interpretation of Martha really is, added: ‘All the clues for the character for me were there. It was so rich and nuanced and thorough that I didn’t have to do much invention at all, really.
Melissa was reportedly not interested in playing Martha (Picture: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)
Gunning has spoken about how she took on the role (Picture: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
‘All my answers, all my clues were really …read more
Source:: Metro
