Writer and actor Richard Gadd vulnerably wrote about his trauma in Baby Reindeer—and the Netflix miniseries, in turn, became a must-watch TV show that took its success all the way to the Emmys.
At the 2024 Emmys, the Scottish performer won Best Writing for a Limited or Anthology series for his work on Baby Reindeer. In the true-crime hit, Gadd wrote about his own experience with a stalker, surviving sexual assault, and coming to terms with his sexuality.
As Gadd accepted the award at the Emmys held on Sunday, September 15, he took the opportunity to share a message of encouragement. "Look, 10 years ago, I was down and out, right?" he said, referring to his own story documented on Baby Reindeer. "I never, ever thought I'd get my life together. I never, ever thought I'd be able to rectify myself with what had happened to me and get myself back on my feet again."
Gadd continued, "And then here I am just over a decade later, picking up one of the biggest writing awards in television. I don't mean that to sound arrogant. I mean it as encouragement for anyone who's going through a difficult time right now to persevere."
"I don't know much about this life. I don't know why we're here, none of that, but I do know that nothing lasts forever and no matter how bad it gets, it always gets better," he concluded. "So if you're struggling, keep going, and I promise you things will be okay."
To kick off his speech, the Netflix star said being at the Emmys was "the stuff of dreams" and shouted out his collaborators and family.
In the Best Writing in a Limited Series and Anthology category, Baby Reindeer was up against Black Mirror, Fargo, Fellow Travelers, Ripley, and True Detective: Night Country.
The writing award was hardly the only win for Baby Reindeer or even Gadd at the 2024 Emmys. He also took home a prize for acting and the series secured the win for Outstanding Limited Series or Anthology.
The star was in shock as he accepted the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Anthology—especially since he beat out John Hamm, who he said he was the "biggest fan" of. The writer/actor—who was nominated against Matt Bomer (Fellow Travelers), Hamm (Fargo), Tom Hollander (Feud: Capote vs. the Swans), and Andrew Scott (Ripley)—noted that the win was unexpected and thanked his parents for their support. "They're the best and we've had some trying times as a family and they've been through there for me as a constant source of love and support," said Gadd. "The thing I'm most grateful for is they've never, ever taught me what I needed to do with my life and they never, ever taught me who I needed to be—and I think that's the greatest gift a parent can give a child."
He added, "They always said, follow your heart and the rest will fall into place. I think it's good advice."
Immediately after securing the award for his performance, Gadd came back out on stage and was joined by his costars and crew as they won Outstanding Limited Series or Anthology. The show competed against Fargo, Lessons in Chemistry, Ripley, and True Detective: Night Country.
During Gadd's third speech of the night, he spoke about how Baby Reindeer has proven that an original show without actors with name recognition can be a runaway success.
Jessica Gunning, who played Martha in the drama, also won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series—bringing the show's total wins at the ceremony up to four.
In her acceptance speech, the British actress shared a thoughtful message to her costar, Gadd, who she said she owes the "biggest thanks." "I've tried so many times to put into words what working on Baby Reindeer meant to me and I fail every time," Gunning said. "So I'm going to sing … no. No, I'll keep it simple and just say thank you for trusting me to be your Martha. I will never, ever forget her or you or this. It really means a lot."
Gunning was nominated alongside another Baby Reindeer star. Nava Mau was also up for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series—and made history as the first transgender woman recognized in the category.
Baby Reindeer became a word-of-mouth and critical success for Netflix, becoming one of its most-watched shows in the weeks after its April debut. Many viewers noted how powerful it was that Gadd told a fictionalized version of his own story.
