Netflix was sued on Thursday for at least US$170 million by a Scottish woman who said she was defamed over her portrayal as a stalker in the hit miniseries Baby Reindeer.
The plaintiff Fiona Harvey has publicly claimed to be the inspiration behind the character Martha, played by actress Jessica Gunning, who shares a physical resemblance and like her is a lawyer in London.
Harvey denied having stalked Gadd, who on the show plays a fictional version of himself named Donny Dunn, or having been convicted or imprisoned.
“Defendants told these lies, and never stopped, because it was a better story than the truth, and better stories made money,” the complaint said.
Netflix did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit seeks at least US$50 million each for actual damages, compensatory damages including mental anguish, and profits, plus at least US$20 million of punitive damages.
Harvey sued two days after Netflix settled a defamation lawsuit by former prosecutor Linda Fairstein over her portrayal in When They See Us, a 2019 series about the Central Park Five rape case three decades earlier.
Netflix agreed to move a disclaimer that some characters may have been altered for dramatic purposes to the start of episodes from the closing credits. It also agreed to donate US$1 million to a non-profit that helps free wrongfully convicted people.