Jessica Gunning, the 40-year-old star of Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, shares that she has never been in a romantic relationship but remains a firm believer in love since coming out as gay four years ago.
Gunning gained widespread recognition for her role as the stalker Martha opposite Richard Gadd in the popular series. In a recent interview, she recounted a pivotal 2022 conversation with a lesbian friend who described her own realization of being gay. Gunning said, “And then I was like… I’m gay! Everyone around me was gay. I just didn’t think I could be.”
She explained her delayed self-awareness stemmed from never having dated anyone. “I didn’t want to go out with guys, so I found ways to avoid it,” Gunning noted. “I never knew how to flirt; I didn’t get it. It didn’t feel like I was lonely—I lived with my best friend, so I didn’t feel like I was lacking anything.”
Challenges and Self-Discovery
Gunning admitted enduring 36 years without sex proved difficult. She linked her romantic avoidance to feelings of “otherness” tied to her size, which shielded her from admitting disinterest in men. Instead, she framed it as simply not being the right time for dating.
Since Baby Reindeer‘s release, Gunning has dipped into dating but is currently single. A self-described old-fashioned romantic, she champions love while steering clear of dating apps.
Next Project: The Faraway Tree Film Adaptation
Gunning next appears as Dame Washalot in the live-action adaptation of Enid Blyton’s classic The Faraway Tree, starring alongside Nicola Coughlan, Claire Foy, and Andrew Garfield.
The story follows Polly (Foy) and Tim Thompson (Garfield) as they relocate with their children—Beth, Joe, and Fran—to the remote English countryside. The kids uncover a magical tree inhabited by eccentric characters like Moonface, Silky, Dame Washalot, and the Saucepan Man.
The first trailer depicts the family’s initial journey to fantastical lands atop the tree. BAFTA winner Simon Farnaby (Wonka, Paddington 2) penned the screenplay, with Ben Gregor directing. Production wrapped earlier this year at locations across southern England and Shinfield Studios in Reading.
Neal Street Productions, led by Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes, spearheads the project. Their credits include the TV hit Call the Midwife and films like 1917 and Revolutionary Road.
Per the official synopsis: “Soon after the family’s arrival in the countryside, the children discover a magical tree and its extraordinary and eccentric residents… At the top of the tree, they are transported to spectacular and fantastical lands and, through the joys and challenges of their adventures, the family learn to reconnect and value each other for the first time in years.”
Enid Blyton’s works stay in print worldwide, translated into over 35 languages and selling more than 500 million copies, cementing her as the most translated children’s author.
