Jessica Gunning says speculation over Martha in "Baby Reindeer" is "not the point of the show".

In Netflix's wonderful true crime series Baby Reindeer, British actress Jessica Gunning brings to life an unforgettable character and introduces her to viewers around the world. Gunning plays Martha, a troubled woman who receives the kindness of bartender and aspiring comedian Donnie Dunn (played by show creator Richard Gadd), who offers to buy her a drink. The limited series is based on an incident in Gadd's real life, and follows the relationship between Donnie and Martha as the latter's romantic obsession develops into a months-long stalking spree.

However, Gunning's transformative performance does not portray Martha as a singular villain, but rather as a completely nuanced human being who is both capable of harm and in need of psychiatric treatment and support.

Long before her performance in the new Netflix film, which debuted on streaming on April 11, made her a frontrunner for an Emmy, Gunning had been a prolific actress for years. She has appeared in dozens of British series, including her breakout role in a comedy set to return this May. To learn more about the rising star, including her expectations of what viewers will take away from the end of Baby Reindeer, read on.

Gunning, 38, is a British actress who began her career in the late 00s and has appeared in numerous TV series in the UK, including a multi-episode arc on Law & Order: U.K., Jericho, Prime Suspects, Tennyson, The Fortitude," including: Tennison, Fortitude, and Back. He also appeared in the acclaimed 2014 film Pride and the 2020 period drama Summerland.

He is also currently in the ensemble of the BBC/Prime Video crime comedy series The Outlaws. Directed by British comedy icon Stephen Merchant, the series follows a group of strangers as they perform community service, with Gunning playing their supervisor.

The show premiered in 2021 and is currently in its third season, which will be available for streaming on May 31.

In a recent interview with Deadline, Gunning revealed that she will play both actress and writer in the new season, earning her first co-writing credit for the fifth episode of season three.

"I love working with Stephen [Merchant] and he lets me add [scripts] here and there. I was lucky enough to be in the writers' room for Season 3 and learned a lot behind the scenes. It was an honor to be a part of it."

When "Baby Reindeer" creator Richard Gadd began considering who should play the fictional version of his real-life stalker, Gunning was at the top of his list. In an interview with Vanity Fair magazine, he revealed that he "fought" to cast Gunning, even when "big name" actresses wanted to play this nuanced role.

"I fought against the tide for Jess, but one day she came along and knocked everybody down. What Jess immediately understood was the fact that Martha was kinda cute, kinda different, kinda sympathetic, kinda weird." I felt like Jess was not playing a character, but believing in Martha's reality in a way."

In an interview with Dazed, Gunning opened up about her experience filming Baby Reindeer. She revealed that her performance as Martha was so eerie that Gadd herself was affected during filming.

"As soon as I read [the script], I captured her essence," she said of crafting her performance.

"During the shoot, he was a little quiet at times, and when I checked in with him, he said, 'You know, I don't think I've ever seen you in a role like this before.' I feel like she's here with me. I feel like I've spent the day with her.'"

Gunning also explained that he did not need to do any research beyond what Gad had written about the character when creating the role. I didn't need to do any further research, and I didn't need Gad to tell me about the actual person. I'm not trying to copy anyone. I just have my own interpretation of who I think she is, and coincidentally, I think there are some similarities."

Since Baby Reindeer premiered, some fans have speculated on the identity of Martha and other Baby Reindeer characters.

Since Baby Reindeer premiered, some fans have speculated about the identity of Martha and other Baby Reindeer characters, from the showrunner's other assailant to his girlfriend Teri, played by Nava Mau, leading to false allegations being spread on social media

BBC Scotland.

During an appearance on BBC Scotland's "The Edit," Gunning responded to the speculation, saying it was "very sad" and "not at all what the show is about."

"If you like the show and you're a fan of it, you should stick to the storyline that Martha and Donnie are what connects you, not try to play detective and find out who they really are," she said.

During her interview with Dazed, the performer also noted that Gad and Netflix went to "enormous lengths" to protect the identities of the real people involved in this situation.

"I think it's really sad if that's happening because they obviously didn't watch the show the right way and didn't understand the message of the show," she told the outlet. 'That's not our intention at all. We took enormous measures to make sure that no one was intentionally identified. Netflix and Richard didn't want that. So I think it's unfortunate. I know a lot of people are fascinated by true stories now, and I don't blame them, but I wish they would think about the individual and not do that."

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