Baby Reindeer cast: Who stars in the Netflix series from Richard Gadd?
Meet the characters.
Richard Gadd’s Netflix drama Baby Reindeer tells the tale of a harrowing stalking ordeal, revolving around Donny Dunn (Gadd), a struggling comedian who experiences stalking at the hands of a woman called Martha (Jessica Gunning) following a friendly interaction at the pub where he works.
But Baby Reindeer is also much more than that, with the show going on to explore dark topics such as sexual abuse, trauma, identity and shame.
The series employs a brilliant cast to do so, with Gadd and Gunning joined by the likes of Nava Mau and Tom Goodman-Hill, even if their great performances have been recently overshadowed by armchair detectives looking for the real people they're based on.
Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of the Netflix series.
Who's in the cast of Baby Reindeer on Netflix?
The following major cast members feature in the show.
- Richard Gadd as Donny
- Jessica Gunning as Martha
- Nava Mau as Teri
- Tom Goodman-Hill as Darrien
- Shalom Brune-Franklin as Keeley
Here's what you need to know about the major players.
Jessica Gunning plays Martha
Who is Martha? Donny's stalker. Her "obsession threatens to wreck both their lives and forces Donny to face his deeply buried trauma".
"If you ever try to play her as a villain, I think you would ruin what a brilliant job Richard has done of the writing," said Gunning when discussing her "sense of care, duty, and responsibility to do the story justice".
Speaking about playing Baby Reindeer's Martha, Gunning recently told Radio Times magazine: "I responded to Martha so clearly in my mind. Such an emotional reaction; I was incredibly moved by her. When I got the part, a friend of mine said, 'Go for it. Be brave, really try and be emotional and vulnerable.'
"I think it’s quite easy, once you’ve fought to get something, to feel like, 'Oh, God, now I’ve got to do this!' and it can be quite overwhelming."
Where have I seen Jessica Gunning before? You might recognise her from Stephen Merchant's BBC comedy The Outlaws, Channel 4 sitcom Back starring Robert Webb and David Mitchell, Law and Order: UK, Prime Suspect 1973 and Sky Atlantic thriller Fortitude.
Richard Gadd plays Donny
Who is Donny? A "struggling comedian" who also works as a bartender. During a shift, he meets a "friendly" woman who "begins to stalk Donny relentlessly" after he shows an "act of kindness" to her.
Where have I seen Richard Gadd before? Gadd created and wrote one-man show Baby Reindeer. His on-screen roles include comedy Code 404 with Stephen Graham and Daniel Mays and BBC thriller Clique.
Nava Mau plays Teri
Who is Teri? Teri is an American therapist who has lived in London for years and meets Donny from a dating site, but she isn't impressed with the way Donny treats her.
"When I was reading the scrip, it felt like the first time reading a character that was written by someone who actually had known and loved a trans woman," said Mau, who is a trans woman. "And it felt like an honour to even get to read the script because of Richard's vulnerability. There's a light that I think pulsates out of that kind of vulnerability, and so all of the characters in the story then are cast in that light. And I felt that in that first read of Teri."
Where have I seen Nava Mau before? Mau previously appeared in HBO drama Generation.
Tom Goodman-Hill plays Darrien
Who is Darrien? A TV comedy writer who meets Donny at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Where have I seen Tom Goodman-Hill before? He previously appeared in television series including Humans, Ideal, The Devil's Whore, Mr Selfridge, and Inside No. 9. He is also the husband of actress Jessica Raine.
Shalom Brune-Franklin plays Keeley
Who is Keeley? Donny's ex-girlfriend.
Where have I seen Shalom Brune-Franklin before? Brune-Franklin has previously starred in The Tourist and Line of Duty.
Nina Sosanya plays Liz
Who is Liz? Keeley's mother, who allows Donny to continue living with her after his break-up with Keeley.
Where have I seen Nina Sosanya before? Viewers may recognise the star from her previous roles in Channel 4 comedy-drama Screw, Prime Video series Good Omens and BBC drama Killing Eve.
Additional cast includes:
The following supporting players also star in the show.
- Danny Kirrane (Don't Forget the Driver, Critical) as Gino - one of the pub managers who works with Donny.
- Michael Wildman (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) as Greggsy - another of Donny's managers at the pub where he works.
- Hugh Coles (Juice, Defending the Guilty) as Francis - one of Donny's friends from drama school.
- Chloe Driver (Call the Midwife) as a comedian.
Read More:
- Baby Reindeer star on why people shouldn’t see Martha as a “villain”
- Baby Reindeer review: Richard Gadd bares soul in gripping emotional rollercoaster
Baby Reindeer is available to stream now on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
