Belle Gibson & Apple Cider Vinegar: The True Story Behind the Deception.

Apple Cider Vinegar is a gripping drama that delves into the life of Belle Gibson, an Australian wellness influencer whose rise to fame was built on a web of deception. The series, starring Kaitlyn Dever, 28, as Belle Gibson, 33, is inspired by the true story of a woman who falsely claimed to have cured her terminal brain cancer through alternative health practices. As viewers follow the story, they are taken on an emotional rollercoaster that explores the complexities of wellness culture and the trust people place in social media influencers.

Dever shared her excitement about playing the role of Belle, emphasizing the show’s focus on the confusion surrounding the wellness industry. “The show really does an amazing job at shedding light on the confusion that surrounds the medical world and the wellness industry — and also human behavior and why we lie,” Dever said. “It does have very high stakes and feels very life and death.” Through Dever's portrayal, audiences witness the dangerous consequences of misplaced trust in online wellness communities.

Apple Cider Vinegar is out on Netflix

The six-episode limited series was crafted by renowned Australian author Samantha Strauss, who is known for her previous works such as Nine Perfect Strangers and Dance Academy. Strauss draws from her own experiences, living in Melbourne during Gibson's rise to fame. She also reflects on the cultural shift of the early 2010s, when wellness culture exploded, and social media, particularly Instagram, began to play an influential role in shaping public perception. Strauss notes the powerful connection between social media and food, saying, “It’s really interesting to look at how media uses food as a weapon against us and how much we crave the nourishment, but how much of a privilege and how expensive it is to try to be well.”

While Apple Cider Vinegar is based on real-life events, it takes creative liberties to craft a compelling narrative. It’s inspired by the 2017 book The Woman Who Fooled the World, written by journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano. Strauss explains how she was drawn to the story after reading the coverage in The Age newspaper. “They wrote about the people who had been misled by Belle and how that had impacted them,” said Strauss. “They created this beautiful tapestry that looked at how Western medicine lets us down emotionally and why people are drawn toward wellness. If the book had only been about a cancer scam, I don’t think I would have been that interested in adapting it for television."

Kaitlyn Dever, who portrays Belle Gibson, says that she wasn't familiar with Belle’s story prior to taking the role. "And that's one of the big reasons I wanted this role. And that's why I was really excited to take this on. Because I think it’s a deeply layered and complex case study that needs to be shared.” Dever's portrayal of Belle is multifaceted, capturing both the charm and deceit that fueled her rise and eventual downfall in the wellness world. “Kaitlyn was so brave,” says Strauss. “The character is so monstrous at times, so vulnerable, unlikable, and snotty. And Kaitlyn went there, again and again and again.”

Apple Cider Vinegar stars Kaitlyn Dever as Belle Gibson (@kaitlyndever Instagram)

Through the story of Belle Gibson, Apple Cider Vinegar highlights how easy it is for misinformation to spread in the digital age, especially when it comes to health and wellness. While the series is rooted in deception, it also serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of blindly trusting online influencers and the importance of seeking real medical advice.

Who is Belle Gibson? 

Belle Gibson claimed that in 2009, doctors diagnosed her with a malignant brain tumor and gave her just six weeks to live. She stated that chemotherapy made her ill, prompting her to turn to alternative therapies.

In 2013, Gibson launched The Whole Pantry app, and later published a book under the same title with Penguin. She built her wellness empire by claiming she had cured her cancer through a gluten- and sugar-free diet, along with a holistic lifestyle. The app quickly gained traction, being downloaded 200,000 times within its first month. Additionally, Gibson made several other shocking claims, including multiple heart surgeries, near-death experiences, and a stroke. She later asserted that her cancer had spread to her blood, spleen, uterus, and liver.

Investigative journalist Richard Guillatt, whose wife had been diagnosed with cancer, began reaching out to experts about Gibson's illness claims. He soon realized something was off. “I realized, if it’s a scam, it’s a really big scam,” he said, noting that Gibson had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers globally.

When Guillatt interviewed Gibson, she revealed that her doctor had diagnosed her with brain cancer but then disappeared. In a recorded conversation, Guillatt asked: “Christ almighty, Belle, you’re kidding, you actually don’t have cancer? This was just the last thing I expected…” Gibson then admitted, “She’s basically saying she can’t back up her cancer claims.”

Gibson was born in Launceston, Tasmania, and later moved around Australia, living in Manly, Queensland, Perth, and finally Melbourne in 2009. She became a mother at 18.

In 2013, after launching The Whole Pantry, Gibson became the subject of an investigation by Consumer Affairs Victoria in 2016 for "misleading and deceptive conduct." She faced accusations of falsely claiming that proceeds from her app and book were donated to charity. Gibson was fined $410,000 AUD (£214,000) in September 2017.

In 2020 and 2021, the Sheriff’s Office of Victoria raided Gibson's home to recover unpaid fines, which, due to accumulating interest, had risen to over half a million dollars.

Following the raids, a video surfaced in which Gibson claimed to be living with an Ethiopian community in Melbourne. However, Tarekegn Chimdia, president of the Australian Oromo Community Association, disputed this claim, stating, “It was concerning when someone is using the community’s name who is not a member of that community." He clarified that Gibson had no involvement with their community or fundraising efforts. Gibson has since disappeared from public view, remaining off all social media platforms and is believed to still be residing in the Melbourne area.

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