The short version
- The TV series tops the most watched list globally and in Norway
- Jessica Gunning stars as Martha Scott, a woman who becomes obsessed with comedian Richard Gadd
- The series is based on a true story
- Gunning receives much praise for his performance
- She confides that the recording was a great strain
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“Baby Reindeer” tops the list of Netflix’s most watched series globally for the second week in a row. It is also at the top of the most watched list in Norway.
Jessica Gunning plays the role of Martha Scott, a Scottish woman who becomes morbidly obsessed with the caring but troubled bartender and comedian Richard Gadd (33). She becomes a so-called “stalker”Personal persecution, or stalking, is one or more types of actions which in themselves may be less serious, but which are repeated systematically and over some time and thus involve a serious violation of the person who is affected. (SNL).
The situation develops so dramatically that the obsession threatens to destroy the comedian’s life.
The TV magnet is based on a true story, and Gadd wrote the script himself. Not only that, he also plays the lead role.
Meanwhile, Netflix is being threatened with a lawsuit by the real woman named as the stalker – watch video:
But British Gunning has nothing to do with the original story. She is “just” an actress. And reviewers around the world praise her for her performance.
She herself fell for the script right away. And she fought hard to get it.
– I really thought that if this ends up in the wrong hands and is played by an actor who sees her as terrifying, or who plays a kind of wild version of a stalker, then it will destroy the nuanced, cautious and fragile narrative, says Gunning to the Los Angeles Times.
There are dark and heavy things that unfold on the screen, such as rape and feelings of shame.
For Gunning, it was crucial to see the whole thing as something other than just a story about a stalker and a victim. She believes the real stalker thought she had found “a magic” with Gadd.
Therefore, it was important to treat the character with respect and not make fun of him.
– I don’t think that she ever intended to be frightening, even if she was perceived as such, she says of the character.
But it took body and psyche to interpret Martha. To what extent, Gunning only realized after the recording was over.
She herself says that she almost “became possessed” by the story while she was working on it.
– I didn’t shake Martha off me until everything was over.
-One person told me recently that “Your body doesn’t know what’s on and what’s on not is it. I always used to roll my eyes when I heard things like that and think, “Ah, actors, that’s it,” Gunning tells the LA Times.
– But it is actually very true. You feel that you have been through something very traumatic, because your body does not understand anything else.
The 38-year-old says it was a great strain to play the most intense scenes.
– It was impossible not to let it sink in.
Gunning had his first TV role in 2007, and has since appeared in 38 productions, such as “The Outlaws” and “Fortitude.
With “Baby Reindeer” she has become world famous overnight.
– I haven’t caught up with everything that is written, because I’m not on social media, she says.
But she is stopped on the street by people who want selfies.
– Then they joke that they will not ask for my phone number.
Netflix and Richard Gadd have gone to great lengths to ensure that everyone else in the series remains anonymous – including Martha. Still, TV viewers have been speculating about the woman they believe is the real Martha.
Both Gadd and Gunning dislike the speculation and the attempts to track down the woman.
– They should try to watch the series again to really understand what the point was. Because it definitely wasn’t. I myself was conscious of not imitating anyone. I wanted to interpret the character in my own way, says Gunning.
In fact, she also does not know the identity of the woman who was possessed by Gadd.
– It was a conscious choice for both him and me.
Richard Gadd is massively praised across the board for being brave and open. Gunning also boasts about the opposite player, who unfolds his own painful life experience and plays it out for the TV viewers himself.
– I had the feeling that the series was going to be something very special because of Richard’s courage. But the response has been absolutely overwhelming, she says to the magazine Glamour.
Gunning explains that it was extremely important to her to do the story justice, and to portray Martha as truthfully as she could. She describes Richard and Martha as two “desperate people”
– There is no winner left at the end.
She finds it difficult to understand how people manage to watch all seven episodes consecutively.
– I myself had to watch it in portions, she admits.
If you didn’t see the TV feature above, you can watch it here:
