Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd's conduct 'questioned' after actress speaks out on experience with him

Since premiering on April 11, Baby Reindeer has been an absolute hit for Netflix, bringing in more viewers week over week and generating critical acclaim. Already, viewers are rallying for creator and star Richard Gadd, along with co-star Jessica Gunning, to be nominated for Emmys and other awards during the upcoming season. The seven-episode limited series is based on Gadd's real life, following a fictionalized version of himself as he's stalked by a woman he meets at a bar.

Baby Reindeer is a fantastic series that doesn't shy away from tackling sensitive topics with an unflinching, nuanced lens, forcing viewers to have hard-hitting conversations about working through trauma and being a victim of abuse. And while protagonist Donny is a victim, he's not the only one. During promotion for his one-man show that the Netflix series is based on, Gadd even called his stalker a victim. For these reasons and many others, Baby Reindeer is worth the watch. But as the show continues to make headlines, Gadd has come under question for a relationship he allegedly had during castings.

Actress Reece Lyons details negative experience with Richard Gadd

As reported by Deadline, Gadd's professional conduct was called into question by Clerkenwell Films, who produced Baby Reindeer, after an actress spoke out on social media about her relationship with the writer. The publication says Gadd was "cleared of any wrongdoing" after the investigation was complete.

Gadd was questioned after transgender actress Reece Lyons took to multiple social media platforms to share her negative experience with him. According to Lyons, Gadd approached her about auditioning for the role of Teri in Baby Reindeer while also pursuing her romantically. Lyons did not mention Baby Reindeer or Gadd explicitly in her thread, though Deadline has confirmed that's who she was referring to.

Though Lyons was sure to clarify she "was not a victim of any type of 'abuse,'" she detailed their turbulent relationship, including his alleged "defensive" and "dismissive" behavior when she confronted him about having "a tendency to fetishize trans women." Towards the end of her thread, she offers the following piece of advice to fellow actors and performers: "If you are ever involved in a casting process where somebody is simultaneously conflating a work opportunity with a dating dynamic, set boundaries." You can see her full thread below.

Lyons explained that she ultimately did not get the role in Baby Reindeer, with Gadd telling her Netflix wanted "somebody who's already a star." She parted ways with Gadd after that, and reflected on social media on his "attempts to gaslight" her. To start off her thread, she also recalled a conversation with her therapist, in which her therapist said Gadd's behavior "is very characteristic of somebody with borderline personality disorder," before clarifying that they couldn't make an official diagnosis without meeting him.

At the time of this writing, Gadd has not responded publicly to Lyons' thread nor to the most recent report of him being questioned by the show's producers. According to Deadline, while Clerkenwell Films cleared Gadd, they did not question Lyons in their investigation, with a source telling the publication that "Lyons' account and other evidence was enough to conclude that Gadd behaved professionally and casting decisions were not compromised."

Lyons has not spoken out publicly on the situation again to our knowledge.