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Netflix's popular miniseries "Baby Reindeer" is at the center of a $170 million lawsuit filed in California federal court on Thursday. The suit alleges that the show, which Netflix markets as a "true story," is based on "brutal lies" that have severely damaged the life and reputation of Scottish lawyer Fiona Harvey.

Harvey claims that the character of Martha Scott, portrayed by Jessica Gunning, is falsely based on her and that the series has defamed her by depicting her as a "twice-convicted stalker who was sentenced to five years in prison" and implying that she sexually assaulted Richard Gadd, the show's creator.

"Baby Reindeer" follows the story of a struggling comedian whose act of kindness towards a vulnerable woman spirals into a suffocating obsession, threatening to destroy both of their lives. The seven-episode series is adapted from Gadd's one-man show, which he claims is based on his real-life experiences.

Harvey, who lives in England and holds a diploma in legal practice from the University of Strathclyde, argues that Netflix failed to verify the truth of these allegations or investigate the nature of her relationship with Gadd, if any.

"Netflix and Gadd destroyed her reputation, her character and her life," the complaint states. Harvey further alleges that viewers identified her as the character "Martha" due to a specific phrase, "hang my curtains," used in the show, which was a euphemism for having sex. Harvey had tweeted this phrase to Gadd in 2014, leading viewers to link her to the character.

Despite Gadd's public claims of taking great lengths to obscure his stalker's identity, Harvey asserts that the show's portrayal has caused her significant emotional distress and reputational damage.

Harvey's suit includes claims of defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and violations of her right of publicity under California law.

Netflix and Harvey's legal representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment.

Harvey is represented by Richard A. Roth and Brian Levenson of The Roth Law Firm PLLC, and Allen Hyman. Counsel information for Netflix was not immediately available.

The case is Fiona Harvey v. Netflix Inc. et al., case number 2:24-cv-04744, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.