‘Baby Reindeer’ Star Richard Gadd Sends Strong Message to Industry About Not Relying on “Proven IP”

Baby Reindeer mastermind Richard Gadd had a pointed message for the television decision-makers while capping off the show’s big night at the 2024 Emmys .

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The Netflix program prevailed for best limited or anthology series, marking its fourth prize of the night. Also nominated in the category were Fargo , Lessons in Chemistry , Ripley and True Detective: Night Country .

During his acceptance speech, creator and star Gadd offered advice for how TV platforms can improve their fortunes amid this current downturn for the industry. He pointed out that Baby Reindeer , while based on his autobiographical one-man show, did not originate from something with a known fan base.

“I know the industry is in a slump right now, and I know it might put pressure on networks and stuff to tighten the purse strings and broaden the slate, But I do believe no slump was ever broken without willingness to take risks,” Gadd said, leading to cheers from the audience. “If Baby Reindeer has proved anything, it’s that there’s no set formula to this — that you don’t need big stars, proven IP, long-running series, catch-all storytelling to have a hit.”

He continued, “The only constant across any success in television is good storytelling that speaks to our times. So take risks, push boundaries, explore the uncomfortable. Dare to fail in order to achieve.”

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Baby Reindeer debuted in April and was an instant phenomenon, earning critical acclaim and social media buzz before landing 11 Emmy nominations.

Earlier in the night, Baby Reindeer star Jessica Gunning prevailed for best supporting actress in a limited series, while Gadd won for best actor in a limited series and for his writing on the project. The show won for casting and picture editing at the Creative Arts Emmys last weekend .

Baby Reindeer is adapted from Gadd’s one-man show and centers on Donny Dunn (Gadd), as his relationship with a female stalker (Gunning) leads him to confront previous trauma. Fiona Harvey, who was identified as the “real-life” inspiration behind Gunning’s character in the series, filed a $170 million lawsuit against Netflix for defamation and privacy violations.

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