Entertainment’Baby Reindeer’: Series actress comments that she never saw Martha as a villainJessica Gunning, known for her performance in Baby Reindeer, comments on the complexity of her role and her career in an interviewtoday at 17:03

In Baby Reindeera successful series of Netflix, Jessica Gunning plays Martha, a character who becomes obsessed with a bartender and aspiring comedian, played by Richard Gadd. The script explores themes such as sexual abuse and mental health, as well as portraying Martha as a complex figure.

The British actress, who has a career spanning 17 years with appearances in British series such as Doctor Who and the movie Pridesaw in Martha an opportunity to show the depth of the character beyond the villain stereotype. For the magazineVanity Fair, the actress comments:

I think you have to try to find the person inside and the logic and honesty in what they do,” he explained. “I saw that clearly as soon as I read the script.”

Jessica’s journey to landing the role wasn’t easy. She went through several auditions before landing the role, facing challenges such as the age difference in what the creators were looking for:

I really understood what Richard wanted for the role. I even went so far as to do a recording in a wig to demonstrate my dedication. Richard thought that was extremely funny.”

Furthermore, the actress confesses that she researched a lot about the limerencea state of obsession, to better understand Martha’s psychology:

Everyone has the potential for that. When you connect with someone, you fill gaps that aren’t necessarily there.”

Although the success of Baby Reindeer has generated a number of award nominations, including his first nomination for the EmmyJessica Gunning didn’t receive as many immediate offers for other jobs:

“There haven’t been many offers so far,” she said. “I’ve had some funny offers, like a production of Peter Pan to play Smee. But I’m very proud to have had the chance to play a character like Martha.”

To the Vanity FairGunning also discussed how continuing her work and collaborating with her longtime agent has influenced her career. The actress is grateful to have had the opportunity to explore such a deep and complex role.