Jessica Gunning is finally opening up about her romantic history. The critically acclaimed Netflix series put the English actress on the map, with fans and critics alike praising Gunning’s ability to effortlessly transform into her role as an obsessive stalker on Baby Reindeer.
While her portrayal of Martha Scott in the Netflix limited series is unabashedly shameless when it comes to her romantic pursuits, Gunning’s real-life trajectory proves she is anything but. In fact, according to the 40-year-old actress, she had never been in a relationship before turning 36. “I’ve never been in a relationship before with anyone,” she revealed to The Times of London.
Fortunately, the Emmy award-winning actress was able to find true fulfillment outside of dating, telling the newspaper that she never felt like she was missing out. However, Gunning admits that her “size” likely contributed to her decades-long avoidance of romance, since it gave her a feeling of “otherness.”
“It might be connected to size,” the Netflix star told the outlet. “Maybe because I was bigger, I’ve always felt like — it’s hard to word this because I don’t want it to seem like I’m saying it in a negative way, because it definitely isn’t, I didn’t feel like an alien in a negative way… but it was like an otherness.”
Additionally, the actress realized she was gay, which she said contributed to her lack of romantic relationships. “I didn’t want to go out with guys, and so I was finding a way to avoid it,” she revealed. “I never knew how to flirt, I didn’t get it.”
Since coming out in 2022, Gunning has dated two women and continues working in her acting career
