Netflix’s hit miniseries Baby Reindeer has been an awards sweetheart this season winning multiple awards including six Emmy Awards with top honors going to creator and star Richard Gadd and his co-star Jessica Gunning. This evening, Gunning received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series.
In Baby Reindeer, Gunning’s character Martha becomes obsessed with bartender Donny Dunn, played by Gadd who created the miniseries which was adapted from his autobiographical one-man show. She stalks Donny in person and uses texts and emails to harass him to the point that he feels like he is in danger. Things get even more intense as the story continues.
The miniseries tackles heavy topics as revealed above, as well as sexual assault and drug addiction through various other storylines.
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While speaking via a virtual press room to the media on Sunday night, Gunning shared some advice for actors wanting to protect their mental health when tackling complex characters.
“That’s obviously something we had to bear in mind when we were filming because Baby Reindeer is based on Richard’s story. He was playing himself but as a character version. I think it’s about checking in and getting help from friends, family and trusted professionals to make sure you’re taking care of yourself as you’re doing these kinds of projects,” she shared.
She continued, “I think because Richard had done two stage versions of Baby Reindeer and also [the comedy show] Monkey See Monkey Do. It was almost like a little test run of the show. So he was in a really good place when we were filming. He’d already done the play versions and knew the story so well. And like I said, we were playing characters, so it didn’t feel as emotionally raw, in a way, because I always saw him as a character…Make sure you’re just checking in with yourself as well, when doing intense projects like that.”
Gadd was also nominated this evening for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie.