"The Biggest Lie in TV History": Court Rules "Olenyonok" Series Not a "True Story"

Fiona Harvey, who is said to be the prototype of the stalker Martha in the sensational series "Fawn", has filed a lawsuit against the streaming service Netflix for $ 170 million, The Guardian reports. The series was actively discussed because it was declared as "based on real events." Viewers figured out who the prototype of the heroine who stalked the main character was and began to hound her.

Fiona Harvey has previously sued Netflix, accusing the service of defamation, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and breach of her privacy. The court ruled that Fawn was not a "true story" as the show claimed, allowing Fiona Harvey to file a defamation lawsuit. In it, she is seeking $170 million in damages. Fiona said the show was "the biggest lie in the history of television" and that Netflix had ruined her life.

In the series, the heroine Martha stalks the main character, attacks him and ends up in prison, with the main character believing she is stalking him. In real life, Martha's inspiration, Fiona Harvey, reportedly sent the character numerous messages and grabbed his buttocks, but was given a warning from the police rather than a prison sentence. The court noted that there is a big difference between stalking and being convicted of stalking: "While the plaintiff's alleged actions are reprehensible, the defendants' allegations are even worse and are likely to give a different impression to viewers."

It should be noted that "Fawn" was released in April of this year and became a Netflix hit. The series is based on the personal story of Scottish stand-up comedian Richard Gadd: he wrote the script and played the lead role in the series. Gadd himself said that he changed the details of his stalker's biography in his work, but this did not prevent Fiona Harvey from being found on social networks. Jessica Gunning, who played Martha, also got into trouble: she was mistaken for a real stalker.

"The Fawn" won six 2024 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Limited Series.