As Gadd soon discovered, Netflix viewers are even more interactive than theatergoers.
Sensing that the story was rooted in fact, Internet sleuths weren't going to sit idly by while the real possible perpetrators were out there, somewhere, unexposed.
And unlike Gadd, who has never publicly named the people Darrien and Martha are based on, Reddit users, X posters, et al., have been happy to try to fill in the blanks. Baby Reindeer the same blank spaces. Social media accounts have been highlighted as potentially belonging to the real Martha and speculation has been made as to who Darrien could be.
It's enough that Gadd hit back on April 22 on his Instagram story, writing, “Hey everyone, people I love, worked with, and admire (including Sean Foley) are being unfairly caught up in speculation. Please do not speculate about who any of the real-life people might be.”
Foley, an Olivier-winning actor, director and writer, reposted Gadd's message to X and also wrote“The police have been informed and are investigating all defamatory, abusive and threatening posts against me.”
