Richard Gadd | |
---|---|
Born | Wormit, Fife, Scotland | 11 May 1989
Medium |
|
Education | Madras College |
Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
Parent(s) | Geoffrey Michael Gadd [1] |
Notable works and roles | Baby Reindeer |
Website | www |
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2005 | Confused | Scottish Guy #2 | Short film |
2018 | Diane's New Boyfriend | Christopher | Short film |
2019 | Whippersnap | Man | Short film |
Amazonia | Short film | ||
2021 | Ladybaby | Harry | Short film |
2024 | Truth Serum | Jimmy | Short film |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | Scot Squad | Tybalt Camberlain | Season 1, Episode 4 |
2015 | Tripped | Callum | Main role |
2016 | Vicious | Delivery Man | Episode: "The Finale" |
2017 | Against the Law | Eddie McNally | Television film |
2018 | Humans | Protester | Season 3, Episode 4 |
Clique | Ben Howard | Recurring role; 6 episodes | |
2019 | Urban Myths | Gareth | Episode: "Princess Diana, Freddy and Kenny" |
2020 | Outlander | Duff | Episode: "Mercy Shall Follow Me" |
2020–22 | Code 404 | Liam Cleasby | Main role |
2022 | Wedding Season | Conrad Lennox | Guest role; 3 episodes |
2024 | A Bear Named Wojtek | Dave | Voice role; television film |
Baby Reindeer | Donny Dunn | Main role; also writer and creator |
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 Movie | Pending | [46] | ||
Best Writing in a Limited Series or TV Movie | Pending | ||||
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 |
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