The Daily 'The Interview': ‘Baby Reindeer’ Exploded Richard Gadd's Life. It Also Set Him Free.
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Mar 21, 2026 
Richard Gadd, a Scottish writer, actor, and comedian behind Baby Reindeer, talks about how sudden fame brought anxiety instead of peace. He digs into masculinity, shame, and male pain. He reflects on turning trauma into art, how abuse complicated his sense of sexuality, and why solitude became part of healing.
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Male Violence Often Masks Earlier Hurt
- Half Man treats violent macho behavior as pain made visible, not just cruelty or swagger.
- Richard Gadd suspects some men may recognize themselves in Reuben and see the hurt driving their aggression.
Becoming Reuben Intensified His Body Dysmorphia
- Richard Gadd transformed physically for Reuben by training six days a week, eating to schedule, and dehydrating before topless scenes.
- The process also exposed his own body dysmorphia, since he kept thinking he still needed to get bigger.
Fame Cannot Fill A Hole In The Soul
- Richard Gadd warns that fame cannot solve self-loathing, even when success brings validation and opportunity.
- He says chasing idolatry will never answer whether you love yourself; that answer has to come from within.