When Jessica Gunning picked up an Emmy last night for her role in Netflix hit Baby Reindeer, she will likely have considered it the pinnacle of her career so far.
But for the 38-year-old, who scooped an Outstanding Supporting Actress gong for her depiction of crazed stalker, Martha, acting life has not always been plain sailing.
While she will no doubt have been inundated with offers following her scene-stealing performances alongside Richard Gadd, Gunning recently admitted how she has previously found roles difficult to come by.
‘There have been times when I haven’t worked for months or maybe even years,’ she told Radio Times.
‘If 16-year-old me were to see this, I don’t know if she would believe it, really.’
Gunning blew fans away with her portrayal of Martha and her obsession with Gadd’s character, Donny Dunn, who she emails hundreds of times a day, turning up outside his house and harassing his family and friends.
Jessica Gunning pictured with her Emmy at the Netflix’s Primetime afterparty at Hilex following the awards show
Baby Reindeer was created by Scottish comedian Gadd who also starred in the series alongside Gunning
In 2012, Gunning appeared alongside Claire Foy as Charlotte and Lee Ingleby as Alan in White Heat as she portrayed Orla
Gunning looks worlds away from stalker Martha in the Sky sitcom Trollied where she plays a security guard
Gunning’s chilling Scottish accent is one of the defining characteristics of the hit drama, but the actress in fact originally hails from West Yorkshire.
Born on New Year’s Day, she has appeared across a host of TV shows throughout her career, which spans more than a decade, but appears to have peaked recently with her appearances in Baby Reindeer and The Outlaws.
After leaving Holmfirth High School near Huddersfield, Gunning moved down to Sidcup in Bexley, south east London, where she graduated from Rose Bruford drama school in 2007 – an institution also attended by the likes of Stephen Graham and Gary Oldman.
When she left drama school, Gunning began her career onstage and won a small role in Much Ado About Nothing at the National Theatre.
Jessica’s first ever on-screen appearance also came 2007 when she made her TV debut in the BBC Three comedy show It’s Adam and Shelley
Shortly after she appeared alongside David Tennant and Catherine Tate in Doctor Who for the 2008 episode Partners in Crime.
She also appeared on 20 episodes of Holby City as well as working on shows such as Law & Order, Back, Fortitude, Prime Suspect and White Heat.
Her most recent on-screen credit before Baby Reindeer was in BBC comedy The Outlaws in 2021 where she played a former juvenile delinquent Diane Pemberley.
The 38-year-old played Kath Morgan in crime prequel Prime Suspect, in which Stefanie Martini portrayed Jane Tennison, a role made famous in the original show by Helen Mirren
Prior to Baby Reindeer which catapulted her to fame the actress said she has previously spent large chunks of her career without any work
She also appeared on 20 episodes on Holby City as well as working on shows such as Law & Order, Back, Fortitude, Prime Suspect and White Heat
Earlier this year, Gunning spoke for the first time about coming out as gay saying it was like a secret she had kept from herself for many years
Back: Reece Ritchie as Ray, Jessica Gunning as Orla and Lee Ingleby as Alan. Front: David Gyasi as Victor, Claire Foy as Charlotte, Sam Claflin as Jack and Anna Buring as Lilly in White Heat
The show, created by Stephen Merchant, returned earlier this year for it third series with Gunning reprising in her role.
There was a period of crossover between the Baby Reindeer and the third series of the Outlaws as Gunning was in the writers’ room, something she has previously said she’s keen to do more of.
As well as her work on screen Gunning performed on stage alongside Cate Blanchett in When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other at London’s National Theatre in 2019.
She is now set to appear in The Magic Faraway Tree alongside Claire Foy and Andrew Garfield in an adaption of the book series by Enid Blyton. There is no official release date for the film but it is expected to be 2025 at the earliest.
Earlier this year, Gunning spoke for the first time about coming out as gay which she did 22 months ago.
She said it was like a secret she had kept from herself for many years and admitted she didn’t think she could be gay, even though there were many signs throughout her life, like when she was kissing actress Cate Blanchett on stage during the National Theatre production.
In an interview back in 2014, before she came out, Gunning spoke about her appearance in the movie Pride, and the importance of the film’s message.
She explained how the film highlighted the historical actions of the gay community to rid the country of stigma around sexuality.
Gunning attending the post-screening reception for Pride, the film that highlights the historical actions of the gay community to rid the country of stigma around sexuality
Left to right: Sian James, Mike Jackson, actress Gunning, actor Andrew Scott, actor Bill Nighy, actress Faye Marsay, screenwriter Stephen Beresford, actor Ben Schnetzer and director Matthew Warchus of Pride
Paddy Considine, Bill Nighy, Andrew Scott and Gunning walking the streets of Camden to promote the film Pride in London
Gunning attends an after party for Pride at Odeon Camden on September 2, 2014
Gunning said: ‘This film hopefully, for the gay community, will show them that the struggle that people went through in order for them now not to have to fight is one of those moving moments. Sadly, some of the issues shown and discussed in the film are still relevant now.’
Now, reflecting on that time, Gunning said: ‘I should have even known when I did Pride (a historical comedy drama based on a true story about a group of gay activists) because I would cry all the time. I found it so emotional I should have really known then.
‘And then I did a play with Cate Blanchett where I got to kiss her every night on stage. Again, I should have known then. All these signs from pre-Reindeer staring me in the face.’
Overall, Baby Reindeer won a blockbuster four awards at the 2024 Primetime Emmys in LA on Sunday.
Gadd, 35, was visibly emotional as he won the awards for Writing for a Limited or Anthology series or Movie and Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology series or Movie for the Netflix phenomenon – based on his own harrowing experiences of being stalked.
The show also triumphed in the Outstanding Limited or Anthology series category alongside Gunning’s triumph.
Gunning and Andrew Scott attend Netflix’s Primetime Emmy afterparty at Hilex following the awards show
Baby Reindeer won a blockbuster four awards at the 2024 Primetime Emmys in LA on Sunday – with Richard Gadd and Jessica Gunning triumphing
When picking up the award, she said: ‘Oh my Goodness me, blinking heck. Thank you so much. I honestly think I’m going to wake up any minute now and this whole thing has been a dream. Thank you very, very much indeed.
‘I’m so incredible proud to be a part of ‘Baby Reindeer’ so I just want to say a huge thank you to everybody who let me. Netflix and Clerkenwell films, Nina Gold casting, our amazing directors Ronald and Josephine, the show wouldn’t have been what it was without you.
‘Our incredible cast and crew, I loved coming to work with you all every day. It’s been a dream, thank you very much indeed.
‘Thank you so much to my agent… Thank you to everyone at prosper for all that you are and all that you do. To my friends and family, I love you more than anything.’
Baby Reindeer was a hit and became one of Netflix’s most watched shows ever.
But the dark comedy thriller has came under fire from those who claimed to have been depicted by the series.
Fiona Harvey came forward claiming to be the inspiration behind Martha, alleging the story was inaccurate, and filed a lawsuit against Netflix.
At the beginning of the first episode, text appears on the screen which says: ‘This is a true story.’
In the drama, said to be inspired by the real-life experiences of Gadd, his character Donny Dunn is hounded by Martha after he serves her a free cup of tea in the pub where he works.
In the TV series, Martha receives a nine-month prison sentence and a five-year restraining order, which Ms Harvey has disputed.
MailOnline reported in July that Ms Harvey was demanding £135million from the streaming giant, claiming they spread ‘brutal lies’ because ‘it was a better story than the truth’.
Fiona Harvey came forward claiming to be the inspiration behind Martha, alleging the story was inaccurate, and filed a lawsuit against Netflix
‘I am not a convicted stalker’.
Ms Harvey’s US legal representative Richard Roth said she has a ‘very, very strong case’ and he expects Ms Harvey, Gadd and Netflix executives to testify in court in California.
In a candid interview with Piers Morgan in June, Mr Roth said the fallout from the Baby Reindeer case ‘could be a watershed moment for streaming TV’.
Speaking about why he had taken the case, Mr Roth said: ‘[It] is really just reprehensible when someone says something’s ‘a true story’ […]. And if Netflix is going to say this is a true story, then it better well be true. And to do that is irresponsible of them.’
However, Gunning has engaged with the fallout from her portrayal of Martha and ended her Emmy speech with a hearfelt message to her co-star Gadd.
She said: ‘My biggest thanks has to go to Mr Richard Gadd – I’m going to burst out crying.
”I’ve tried so many times to put into words what working on Baby Reindeer meant to me and I fail every time so I’m going to sing… No, imagine! I’ll keep it simple and just say thank you for trusting me to be your Martha. I’ll never ever forget her or you, or this. It really means a lot, thank you Reindeer.
‘And thank you for this, I’m thrilled.’
76th Primetime Emmy Awards WINNERS: AT A GLANCE
DRAMA
Outstanding Drama Series: Shogun
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Anna Sawai, Shogun
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Hiroyuki Sanada, Shogun
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series: Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series: Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
TALK, VARIETY, AND REALITY
Scripted Variety Series: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Talk Series: The Daily Show
Outstanding Reality Competition Program: The Traitors
Shogun won a record breaking 18 Primetime Emmy Awards including Outstanding Lead Actress and Actor nods for Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada
COMEDY
Outstanding Comedy Series: Hacks
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart, Hacks
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series: Jeremy Allen White, The Bear
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series: Liza Colón-Zayas, The Bear
Outstanding Supporting Actor An A Comedy Series: Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear
LIMITED
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series: Baby Reindeer
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series: Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series: Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series: Jodie Foster, True Detective: Night Country
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series: Lamorne Morris, Fargo