How do you follow up one of the most talked-about TV series of the decade? After the stalker drama "Baby Reindeer" on Netflix, which took the world by surprise two years ago, Richard Gadd chose to immediately embark on a new project.
"I didn't want to rest on my laurels and enjoy it too much. For several reasons, I needed to jump back on the horse - and do it right away," he says.
“Half Man,” which premieres on HBO Max on April 24, is a drama about Niall and Ruben. They follow each other through life after growing up as brothers. Richard Gadd plays Ruben as an adult; Niall is played by Jamie Bell.
Old project
Ruben is charismatic and violent, while Niall is quiet and a reader. But despite their differences, they complement each other and forge strong bonds over the decades.
“Half Man” is an old project Richard Gadd put aside for four years to make “Baby Reindeer.” Now he has returned to the idea.
"I wrote the first episode back in 2019 and now I'm back at it. I knew straight away that I was going to do this after 'Baby Reindeer,'" says Richard Gadd.
"Baby Reindeer" addressed topics such as stalking and sexual assault, which made headlines. "Half Man" also addresses controversial topics around toxic masculinity and sexuality.
"I don't usually get inspired by what's going on in the world, but I guess in 2019 there was a lot of debate about men's anger, repressed emotions, violence and stuff. Maybe I absorbed that subconsciously in some way," he says.
Justifiable violence
Just like “Baby Reindeer,” “Half Man” contains scenes of violence and abuse that many viewers will likely react strongly to. Richard Gadd is aware of this, but doesn’t let it affect him.
Gadd says one must remember what he is trying to show and that it is justifiable to show so much violence on screen.
If you really want to understand male anger, male violence, and why men don't feel like they fit into society right now, it's not fair to those who have been affected by male violence to not show how extreme it can be and where it leads. What I really want to do is contextualize.
Facts: Richard Gadd
36 years old. Scottish screenwriter, director and actor. Started as a stand-up comedian and developed his one-man show "Baby Reindeer" into a Netflix series that aired in 2024.
Gadd won American Emmy Awards for Best Miniseries as well as Best Screenplay and Best Actor in a Miniseries.
A woman who felt she was targeted as a stalker in “Baby Reindeer” sued Netflix for $170 million. The lawsuit is still ongoing.
