Jessica Gunning on Her Special Bond with Richard: The Baby Reindeer Star
Jessica Gunning is currently experiencing a high point in her career. With her outstanding performance as the unhinged stalker Martha in Netflix’s critically acclaimed limited series Baby Reindeer, she has garnered rave reviews. This role is one she considers the opportunity of a lifetime. Despite being 38 years old and a veteran actress, Gunning has been actively acting since her graduation from drama school at London’s Rose Bruford College. Her extensive list of credits includes appearances in Doctor Who, White Heat, The Outlaws, and Pride.
Baby Reindeer, created and written by Richard Gadd, is inspired by his real-life experiences. Gadd also stars in the series as Donny Dunn, a struggling comedian who meets a lonely woman at the bar where he works. What starts as a chance encounter, with Donny offering Martha a free cup of tea, spirals into a dangerous relationship over several months as Martha’s true nature as a serial stalker is revealed. Gunning recently visited THR‘s Los Angeles office for an interview about landing the role, her emotional connection with Gadd, and her decision to overlook the real-life identities associated with Gadd’s characters.
It’s interesting to see social media posts assuming you’re an overnight sensation when you’ve been in the industry for quite some time.
Yeah, I’ve been working for about 16 years.
When did you first hear about Baby Reindeer?
I had seen Richard’s stage show Monkey See Monkey Do, which left a lasting impact on me. The show was so powerful that I couldn’t shake it off for days. One of the events in episode four of the show is based on the content of that play. Richard is on a treadmill throughout the entire performance, and I remember admiring his bravery and storytelling skills. When I learned about his next project, Baby Reindeer