The shocking series from the creator of 'Baby Reindeer' that will leave you speechless

BarcelonaRichard Gadd was an unknown actor and creator until 2024, when he premiered Baby Reindeer on Netflix, a miniseries that explained his experience as a victim of harassment and also sexual abuse. The production was a phenomenon that even obsessed some viewers – some supposed fans revealed the identity of Gadd's stalker and she sued the series and the platform–. After that whirlwind, the Scotsman premieres Half Man, a new miniseries with which he wants to reaffirm his authorial voice: a new, uncomfortable and impactful story about toxic masculinities, homophobia and dependency relationships. The series will be available on HBO Max from this Friday.

Half Man, which has production from the BBC, tells the story over thirty years of two men who have grown up like brothers because their mothers have been a couple since they were little. However, they couldn't be more different. Ruben represents the most basic masculinity and his tendency towards outbursts of violence – which are shown without mincing words – leads him to a juvenile correctional facility. When he gets out and returns to live at the family home, he has to share space with Niall, a sensitive teenager who is often the target of bullying and harassment. The older Ruben will assume the role of protector while also profoundly influencing his protégé's personality. When the series begins, the two protagonists reunite after a long time without seeing each other: it is Niall's wedding day, and the surprise appearance of his brother will alter everyone present. "I think a lot of the way society has been structured can lead to men's inability to express themselves and express love and vulnerability, which is why I found it interesting to raise this conversation through the characters," the creator explained to the BBC.

Half man is a series that offers no respite and positions itself as one of the productions to consider this year thanks to its harshness: it is sharp, uncomfortable, violent, and leaves no room for moments of happiness or humor. Gadd plays Ruben, a role for which he has undergone a physical transformation that distances him from the image he had in Baby Reindeer. Niall's character in adulthood falls to Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot), the actor the screenwriter had in mind when he wrote the series. "I never thought Jamie would actually be in Half man, but when I heard he was interested, I flew to Los Angeles and we had a long conversation. He told me he would love to do it if I was the one playing Ruben. Before that moment, I didn't see myself acting in the series," Gadd recalls. He admits that he would now feel very bad about not having participated as an actor in the series and having missed the opportunity to act alongside Bell.