With 16 years of career, the British actress Jessica Gunning He became one of the star figures of the series of Netflix, baby reindeer (Baby Reindeer) by giving life to the protagonist’s stalker. In the midst of the furor generated by the drama created by Richard Gadd, she questioned whether viewers have strayed from fiction to become “armchair detectives.” This, in relation to the attention directed to a woman who claims to be the “Martha” of real life.
Gunning, born in West Yorkshire, participated in several British productions before being cast in the most viral role of her life. Some other important titles in her filmography are Doctor Who, White Heat, The Outlaws and the movie Pride.
The Serie Baby Reindeercreated by Richard Gaddis based on Gadd’s own personal experiences with a stalker, and his connection with audiences has grown significantly since its April 11 debut.
In the seven-episode fiction, Gadd played Donny Dunna struggling comedian who meets Martha, a lonely woman who quickly becomes a dangerous and persistent stalker.
“I knew how to play Martha from the moment I read the script,” Gunning said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. But the process to get the role was extensive. In total, it was four months with several rounds to verify the chemistry with the protagonist and convince the producers that he could look older than he really is.
To do this, Jessica turned to makeup and hair designer Nadia Stacey (Oscar winner for Poor Creatures), who was her friend. Improvising a wig and a little makeup, the duo tried to show that Gunning could pass for someone 43 years old.
“In another world, people might have pushed for someone more famous. But I kept thinking, “I know how to do this. If the character were to fall into the hands of someone who saw Martha as a villain or crazy, it would be a shame and would ruin the nuance that Richard’s writing gives her.”he explained about his connection to the role.
Gadd’s script was always his reference source; and for this reason, he has criticized some viewers for venturing to investigate the true identity of the stalker.
“I tried to know as little as possible about real people because I didn’t want it to cloud my vision.. I’m not doing an imitation; I am doing my interpretation of her,” he insisted. “Nowadays there is a fascination with true crime stories, to mention something that has become as big as this work, and I understand that armchair detectives have become a trend. But it’s a shame. That’s not the essence of our series”.
Both Gadd and Gunning have insisted that Martha should not be seen as a simple antagonist. During the panel hosted by the Directors Guild of America, the creator talked about how she developed some empathy toward her stalker.
“I saw a person who was lost to the system, actually. I saw someone who needed help and wasn’t getting it.”, explained the author of the piece.
The same perspective was reflected in the performance of Gunning, who also rejected the idea of her character being labeled as a typical pure villain. “Martha is complicated and she is not all bad. His intentions may have been perceived that way, but he never wanted to do anything intentionally harmful.”, argued the actress. “She is a woman who felt a little ignored, just like him.”
