‘Baby Reindeer:’ Richard Gadd, Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau receive Emmy nominations
Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer,” the British drama that became one of the most controversial and buzzed-about series of the year, has now become a major contender in the Emmys race, scoring 11 nominations in the limited series category.
“Baby Reindeer” tells the story of Donny Dunn, an aspiring comedian moonlighting as a bartender, whose encounters with an eccentric woman named Martha at the pub where he works become increasingly uncomfortable and sinister. The series was created and written by Richard Gadd, who stars as Donny. On Wednesday, it nabbed nominations for limited series, actor (Gadd), supporting actor (Tom Goodman-Hall) and supporting actress (Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau). The series also was nominated for writing and directing.
FX’s “The Bear” and “Shogun” were among the top nominees for the 76th Emmy Awards announced on Wednesday.
Gadd was thrilled about his nomination.
“I couldn’t have imagined in my wildest dreams when I was writing this show in my tiny flat during Covid that it would go on to have 11 Emmy nominations,” he said in a statement. “I am so grateful to the academy for recognizing this show. You have made a little boy from a tiny Scottish town‘s dreams come true and I am crying, with happiness, even as I write this.”
He added, “Ten years ago I was down and out. I hope this is a reminder for anyone going through a hard time right now to keep going. There is light even in the darkest of rooms. Fight hard and you will find it.”
In a separate statement, Gunning thanked the Television Academy and said, “overwhelmed doesn’t really cover it … astonished might be more apt. ... I am so proud to be part of ‘Baby Reindeer,’ and to see it get 11 Emmy nominations is incredible. To also be nominated, and alongside some of my favorite actresses, truly is a dream come true. I can’t quite believe it.”
Mau, who plays Teri, a trans woman who becomes romantically involved with Donny, was emotional as she described her reaction to her nomination. She is the first trans performer to be nominated for an acting award in the limited series category.
“I’ve been crying — I’m really speechless,” Mau said from her home in Los Angeles. “I’ve been reflecting on this moment, and I can’t believe this is my life. This moment is so huge and I’m deeply honored. I know how much this means to me and to the trans community. We have had to fight so hard, are fighting and will continue to fight.”
She said she was looking forward to celebrating with Gadd and Gunning. “They’re in London and I’m in L.A., so we don’t run into each other. But it will be so wonderful to see them,” Mau said.
Adapted from Gadd’s autobiographical one-man play — the title card at the start of each episode states that it is “a true story” — “Baby Reindeer” became an instant sensation when it launched on Netflix in April. Viewers were fascinated with its mix of comedy and drama, punctuated with disturbing depictions of sexual assault and mental health. Critics gave high praise to the cast, particularly the performances of Gadd and Gunning. It spent eight weeks on Netflix’s global top 10 list, making it one of the streamer’s most watched series of the year.
British actor Jessica Gunning explained how she tackled playing the stalker Martha in “Baby Reindeer” and why she didn’t ask creator Richard Gadd about her real-life counterpart.
The show and the events it depicted also sparked investigations by armchair detectives who tried to figure out the true identities of the characters on the show, particularly Martha and Darrien (Goodman-Hill), a television writer who sexually assaults Donny. In an interview with The Times in April, Gunning called her performance as Martha, who stalks Donny, an “interpetation” of Gadd’s vision and said she never asked him about her real-life counterpart.
However, in the months since the show’s premiere, Fiona Harvey, a 58-year-old Scotswoman, claimed to be the basis for Martha in an interview with Piers Morgan on his YouTube channel. She sued Netflix in June, seeking $170 million in damages for what she called defamation and emotional distress. A Netflix spokesperson said in a statement about the suit: “We intend to defend this matter vigorously and to stand by Richard Gadd’s right to tell his story.”
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