Richard Gadd

Last updated

Richard Gadd
Born (1989-05-11) 11 May 1989 (age 35)
Wormit, Fife, Scotland
Medium
  • Comedy
  • acting
  • writing
Education Madras College
Alma mater University of Glasgow
Parent(s) Geoffrey Michael Gadd [1]
Notable works and roles Baby Reindeer
Website www.richardgadd.com

Richard Gadd (born 11 May 1989) is a Scottish comedian, actor and writer, best known for creating and starring in the 2024 Netflix drama series Baby Reindeer , which was based on his one-man dark comedy show of the same name. [2] [3] [4] [5] He earned two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for writing and acting in the series. [6] [7]

Contents

Early life and education

Richard Gadd was born in the village of Wormit, Scotland. [8] Gadd has described himself as a "middle-class guy from Fife". [9] He was educated at Madras College and studied English literature and theatre studies at the University of Glasgow. [10] He trained at the Oxford School of Drama, completing a one-year course in 2012. [11]

Career

Comedy

Gadd's early Edinburgh Festival Fringe shows were Cheese & Crack Whores (2013) and Breaking Gadd (2014), both shows went on to have runs at London's Soho Theatre. The Guardian wrote that his first two shows "purported to be autobiographical accounts of the young Scotsman’s bleak life, a roundelay of failed relationships, blackouts, abusive therapists and fratricide." [9] Writing in 2015, The Guardian described him as a "schlock comic with a name for gaudy multimedia tales of drug addiction and sexual violence, mental illness and gore". [12] Waiting for Gaddot (2015) was intentionally more mainstream than its predecessors, bringing Gadd more success and wider attention. [9] Waiting for Gaddot won an Amused Moose Comedy Award in 2015 as well as a Scottish Comedy Award for Best Solo Show in 2016. [13] [14] It was also nominated for a Malcolm Hardee Award for Innovation [15] and a Chortle Award for Innovation.

Gadd's 2016 Fringe show Monkey See Monkey Do won the Edinburgh Comedy Award [16] for Best Comedy Show and was also nominated for a Total Theatre Award for Innovation. [17] Later that year, Gadd won a Chortle Comedian's Comedian Award [18] and was nominated for an Off West End Theatre Award for Best Performer. [19] The show then had several sell-out runs at Soho Theatre, [20] toured the UK and Europe, [21] and had a run at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, where it was nominated for the 2017 Barry Award. [22] In 2017 it was broadcast on Comedy Central as part of their Soho Theatre Live series. [23]

While a jobbing comedian, Gadd worked as a bartender at the Hawley Arms pub in London. It was here he would encounter 'Martha', who would become the main character in Baby Reindeer. [24] Gadd's next Edinburgh fringe show, the dark comedy Baby Reindeer, chronicling his experiences with being stalked by 'Martha', and sexually assaulted by a man he met earlier in his career, would prove to be his breakout success. [25] He has said that he was later stalked and sexually assaulted by an older woman. [26] [4] [27] It won two awards: The Scotsman Fringe First Award for New Writing [28] and a Stage Award for Acting Excellence. [29] The show then went on to a five-week run at The Bush Theatre in London [30] where it won an Off West End Theatre Award for Best Video Design, as well as receiving a nomination in the Best Performer category. [31] The show later transferred to the Ambassador's Theatre in London's West End, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [32] A few months later, the show went on to win the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre. [33]

In 2024, Netflix released a seven-episode drama based on the play, and billed as a 'true story'. [34] Gadd lost 28 kilograms to play the fictionalized version of himself in order to feel "vulnerable and fragile". [35] According to a recent report by Barclays, the enormous success and popularity of Baby Reindeer resulted in a notable annual increase in spending on Netflix digital subscriptions. [36] The woman depicted in Baby Reindeer as having stalked and sexually assaulted Gadd was quickly identified as Fiona Harvey, a Scottish lawyer with a history of stalking and mental illness. Harvey has denied Gadd's accusations and depiction of her, stated that she never been to jail, as depicted in the Netflix show, and is pursuing Netflix for defamation. [5] [37] Others familiar with the real-life people involved, have questioned Gadd's version of events, as depicted in Baby Reindeer. [24] Although not directly named in Harvey's lawsuit against Netflix, Gadd has fully supported Netflix's defence against Harvey's claims, and request to have her lawsuit dismissed, re-iterating accusations made against Harvey for stalking, and defending the veracity of 'Baby Reindeer'. [38]

Acting and screenwriting

Gadd is also an actor, starring opposite Daniel Mays in the 2017 BAFTA-nominated BBC Two single drama Against the Law . Other acting credits include BBC Three's Clique , Sky Arts's One Normal Night, Sky One's Code 404 and E4's Tripped. [39] [ better source needed ] As a screenwriter, Gadd worked for Netflix's Sex Education , and has written episodes of Ultimate Worrier for Dave and The Last Leg for Channel 4, where he was also a correspondent. He's also had several projects aired on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio Scotland. [40]

Personal life

Gadd identifies as bisexual, and has had both same-sex and different-sex relationships. [41] [42]

Gadd has struggled with alcohol, and substance abuse, telling The Guardian in 2015 “I’m healthy and sober now. I still get real bad downers. But I feel better than I was.” [9]

Gadd is an ambassador for We Are Survivors, a UK charity dedicated to helping male survivors of sexual abuse. [34]

Gadd is a fan of the Scotland football team. [43]

Gadd has lived in London long term. [9]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005ConfusedScottish Guy #2Short film
2018Diane's New BoyfriendChristopherShort film
2019WhippersnapManShort film
AmazoniaShort film
2021LadybabyHarryShort film
2024Truth SerumJimmyShort film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014 Scot Squad Tybalt CamberlainSeason 1, Episode 4
2015TrippedCallumMain role
2016 Vicious Delivery ManEpisode: "The Finale"
2017Against the LawEddie McNallyTelevision film
2018 Humans ProtesterSeason 3, Episode 4
Clique Ben HowardRecurring role; 6 episodes
2019 Urban Myths GarethEpisode: "Princess Diana, Freddy and Kenny"
2020 Outlander DuffEpisode: "Mercy Shall Follow Me"
2020–22 Code 404 Liam CleasbyMain role
2022 Wedding Season Conrad LennoxGuest role; 3 episodes
2024A Bear Named WojtekDaveVoice role; television film
Baby Reindeer Donny DunnMain role; also writer and creator

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.
2024 Gotham TV Awards Outstanding Performance in a Limited Series Baby Reindeer Nominated [44]
Television Critics Association Awards Individual Achievement in Drama Nominated [45]
Astra TV Awards Best Actor in a Limited Series or TV MoviePending [46]
Best Writing in a Limited Series or TV MoviePending
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Pending [47]
Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Pending

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Devlin, Laura (14 June 2024). "Dundee professor and dad of Fife's Baby Reindeer star recognised in King's Birthday Honours".
  2. ↑ Klein, Brennan (15 April 2024). "Baby Reindeer Cast Guide". ScreenRant.com. Archived from the original on 19 April 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  3. ↑ Tonks, Phoebe (3 May 2024). "Who is Richard Gadd? Meet the man behind Netflix's chilling Baby Reindeer". Yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 17 May 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  4. 1 2 Badshah, Nadeem (9 May 2024). "'Inspiration' for Baby Reindeer stalker character says she received death threats". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  5. 1 2 Yang, Maya (6 June 2024). "Baby Reindeer: woman who claims to be real-life Martha sues Netflix for $170m". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  6. ↑ Gonzalez, Shivani (17 July 2024). "Emmy Nominees 2024: The Complete List". The New York Times . Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  7. ↑ Lyons, Margaret (23 April 2024). "What to Watch: 'Baby Reindeer,' an Astonishing Stalker Drama". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 24 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  8. ↑ Hepburn, David (3 April 2024). "Baby Reindeer: Scottish performer Richard Gadd's new series release is". The Scotsman.com. Archived from the original on 17 May 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "'Outside, looking out': the twisted world of Richard Gadd". The Scotsman. 18 October 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  10. ↑ "Richard Gadd: Who is Fife comedian behind Netflix hit Baby Reindeer?". The Courier . 16 April 2024. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
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  23. ↑ "Comedy Central to broadcast Soho Theatre Live stand-up shows". British Comedy Guide. 24 May 2017. Archived from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  24. 1 2 "Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd's ex-colleague claims he led 'real Martha' on 'for laughs'". Metro . 18 May 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  25. ↑ "Our Ambassadors". We Are Survivors. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  26. ↑ "Baby Reindeer review — Netflix's unsettling stalker drama makes for difficult viewing". Financial Times. 21 April 2024. Archived from the original on 23 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
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  34. 1 2 Williams, Zoe (18 April 2024). "'I was severely stalked and severely abused': Richard Gadd on the true story behind Baby Reindeer [Interview]". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 21 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  35. ↑ Gardner, Chris (13 May 2024). "Richard Gadd on 'Baby Reindeer' Phenomenon, Losing Anonymity and What He Won't Ever Comment on Again". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 19 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
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  37. ↑ Butler, Alexander; Murray, Tom (10 May 2024). "Baby Reindeer: Fans horrified by Piers Morgan's 'excruciating' interview". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  38. ↑ "Baby Reindeer's Richard Gadd responds to Fiona Harvey's lawsuit against Netflix". The Guardian . 30 July 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  39. ↑ "Richard Gadd". IMDb. Archived from the original on 21 July 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  40. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 – Richard Gadd: Daddy Diaries". BBC. Archived from the original on 31 December 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  41. ↑ Chilton, Louis (11 April 2024). "Richard Gadd on Netflix's Baby Reindeer and his real-life story of stalking and trauma: 'I've lived in a prison of self-hate'". The Independent. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  42. ↑ Canfield, David (15 May 2024). "The Cast of 'Baby Reindeer' Speaks Out: "You Have to Practice Self-Preservation"". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  43. ↑ "Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd spotted cheering on Scotland at Euro 2024... but there's no sign of Martha". www.goal.com. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  44. ↑ Verhoeven, Beatrice (14 May 2024). "'Baby Reindeer,' 'The Curse,' 'Shogun' Among Inaugural Gotham TV Awards Nominees". Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  45. ↑ Longeretta, Emily (10 June 2024). "'Baby Reindeer', 'Ripley' and 'Shogun' Lead 2024 TCA Awards Nominations: Full List". Variety . Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  46. ↑ "The 2024 Astra TV Awards Nominations Have Arrived". Hollywood Creative Alliance. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  47. ↑ "Baby Reindeer". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
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