Nava Mau Says Baby Reindeer Sets New Standard for Examining Trauma

Nava Mau made history on July 17 with her first Emmy nomination for Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, becoming the first transgender actress to earn a nod for supporting actress in a limited series — a momentous occasion that is part of the larger “incredible and overwhelming” experience Mau has had with the international hit show. Speaking with THR moments after her nom was announced, Mau became emotional when talking of her fellow nominees — a lineup that includes Dakota Fanning, Lily Gladstone, Diane Lane, Aja Naomi King and Kali Reis, plus Mau’s Baby Reindeer co-star Jessica Gunning. “I’m so humbled to be included in a group of women who have clearly devoted their lives to this craft,” says Mau. “I hope that I can live up to the invitation.”

Mau was not expecting such a prized honor when she was filming Baby Reindeer last year. The Mexican-born, U.S.-raised actress had only a handful of credits on her résumé before being cast in the series, including the 2019 short Waking Hour, which she also directed and produced, and a supporting role on the HBO Max dramedy Generation in 2021. But Baby Reindeer immediately felt special — particularly the character of Teri crafted by the series’ star and creator, Richard Gadd. “I had never read a script that felt like it was written by someone I had known in another life,” says Mau. “I had assumed that, in order to have the kind of role that feels layered and built out to reflect the rich reality of my own life, I would have to write that role.”

In the series, Gadd stars as struggling comedian and bartender Donny Dunn, who is stalked and harassed by an obsessive woman, Martha (Gunning). Still struggling with the impact of a sexual assault by a mentor years before, Donny meets Teri, a transgender woman, while using a false name. As their intimacy grows, so does Donny’s sense of shame and Martha’s intensity, which leads to a violent encounter between the two women that forces Donny to be honest with Teri about his feelings for her — and himself.

The series, which garnered 11 Emmy noms, became a phenomenon when it launched in
April and is now one of Netflix’s most watched series. Popularity is exciting, but Mau admits she’s most proud about how Baby Reindeer tackles sexual trauma and healing — particularly from a male perspective, which often goes unexamined.

“We have heard the call for women’s voices and gender-diverse people’s voices to be centered as we dismantle the ills of patriarchy,” she says. “Part of that work is for men to create space for themselves, to reckon with the violence that patriarchy has inflicted [on men]. Ultimately, it really is men’s responsibility to address the way that patriarchy has created a culture of violence, shame and silence.”

This story first appeared in the August 14 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.