'Apple Cider Vinegar' tells how Belle Gibson went from revered influencer to reviled scammer
In the early years of Instagram, Australian influencer Belle Gibson captivated thousands with her story of overcoming malignant brain cancer through diet and alternative medicine. Claiming she had been given just four months to live after a 2009 diagnosis, Gibson rejected conventional treatments and instead pursued a self-healing journey fueled by nutrition, determination, and love. Her inspiring narrative earned her a massive social media following, leading to the creation of a successful wellness app, The Whole Pantry, as well as lucrative deals with Apple and Penguin Books.
However, it was all a lie. Gibson never had cancer. As investigations revealed, she had also fabricated numerous other details about her life—including her age—and misled followers about charitable donations. When her deception unraveled in 2015, she transformed from a celebrated wellness guru to a national disgrace, drawing comparisons to fraudster Elizabeth Holmes.
Her story is now the subject of Apple Cider Vinegar, a Netflix drama created by Samantha Strauss and based on The Woman Who Fooled the World, an investigative exposé by Australian journalists Nick Toscano and Beau Donelly. Starring Kaitlyn Dever as Belle, the six-episode series portrays her as a lonely yet manipulative figure who exploits sympathy for personal gain. The show also follows Milla Blake (Alycia Debnam-Carey), an influencer promoting dubious cancer-fighting remedies, and Lucy (Tilda Cobham-Hervey), a cancer patient who is drawn to their alternative treatments.
Strauss highlights the seductive nature of wellness culture, acknowledging its appeal to those struggling with the harsh realities of traditional medicine. "We didn't want to just say ‘medicine good, wellness bad’ because there are beautiful aspects, like community, that hospitals don't always provide," she explains. But Apple Cider Vinegar also underscores the dangers of false hope and exploitation in the wellness industry.
The title itself reflects the misleading simplicity of so-called miracle cures—easy, accessible, yet ultimately ineffective. Strauss recalls the moment Gibson’s fraud unraveled, particularly her infamous 2015 60 Minutes interview, in which she bizarrely stated, "I’ve always been raised as being currently a 26-year-old," when she was actually 23. The scandal also exposed the broader recklessness of an industry eager to elevate unverified wellness influencers without scrutiny.
By revisiting Gibson’s deception, Apple Cider Vinegar explores both the powerful allure and the perilous consequences of wellness culture’s unchecked rise.
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