The real-life people behind the characters in Apple Cider Vinegar.

When Netflix's "true-ish" series Apple Cider Vinegar opened with Belle Gibson staring defiantly into the camera declaring "this is a true story based on a lie," they weren't kidding.

The six-part series dives headfirst into one of Australia's most shocking deceptions, with characters that blur the lines between fact and fiction. While Kaitlyn Dever brings Belle Gibson's notorious lies to life, it's the supporting characters that really make you question what's real and what's... creative licence.

Watch the trailer for Netflix's Apple Cider Vinegar. Post continues below.

Some characters are completely fictional, others are amalgamations of multiple people, and some are so close to reality it's uncomfortable to watch. That's exactly what makes Apple Cider Vinegar so compelling.

The real people behing the characters in Apple Cider Vinegar.

Belle Gibson.

Belle Gibson was played by Kaitlyn Dever in Apple Cider Vinegar. Image: Netflix/Nine.

Belle Gibson in Apple Cider Vinegar is based on, well, Belle Gibson in real life.

In the Netflix show, Kaitlyn Dever takes on the challenging role of Belle, capturing both her charismatic public persona and the calculated web of lies behind closed doors. The series doesn't shy away from showing how Gibson manipulated not just her followers, but also those closest to her — from her publisher to her romantic partners.

While the show takes some creative liberties with the timeline and supporting characters, it stays remarkably true to the most shocking aspects of Gibson's character.

Milla Blake.

Milla Blake in Apple Cider Vinegar is an adaptation of Jess Ainscough's story, according to actress Alycia Debnam-Carey. Image: Netflix.

The character of Milla Blake has been a controversial one since the show's release.

While the actress who plays Milla, Alycia Debnam-Carey, has said the character is inspired by wellness influencer, Jessica Ainscough, the show's creator, Samantha Strauss claimed Milla was a composite of several people.

"I'd say Milla is a portrait of influencers at the time. She's someone who is desperately trying to save her own life and becomes blind to the truth because of it," Strauss told Tudum.

Milla does share several similarities to Ainscough, who was a wellness influencer, known as 'The Wellness Warrior'. Jessica built a successful brand, blogging about using Gerson therapy to cure her epithelioid sarcoma. Her mother also died from cancer, although it was breast not bowel cancer, as depicted by Milla's mother Tamara in the show.

Ainscough sadly passed away in 2015 at age 29.

Ainscough's loved ones have since spoken out and expressed their discontent at the portrayal of her story in the show, claiming it to be highly inaccurate.

Chanelle.

Chanelle in Apple Cider Vinegar's story is similar to that of Chanelle McAuliffe. Image: Netflix.

In Apple Cider Vinegar, Aisha Dee (known for The Bold Type) plays Chanelle, who is loosely based on a real person — Belle Gibson's former friend, Chanelle McAuliffe.

McAuliffe first crossed paths with Gibson at the 2013 launch party for her app, The Whole Pantry, according to the Sunday Times.

Soon McAuliffe began to notice cracks in Gibson's carefully constructed facade. Belle would drink alcohol, attend solariums, and when she collapsed at her son's birthday party, she refused to call an ambulance.

She confronted Gibson, who wouldn't answer straight questions about her cancer diagnosis. Believing that Gibson was misleading vulnerable followers, McAuliffe made it her personal mission to expose the truth.

She then became the whistleblower who tipped off journalists Nick Toscano and Beau Donnelly of Gibson's deception. Unlike the show, McAuliffe was never Gibson nor Ainscough's manager, and while she loosely knew Jess Ainscough and attended her memorial, they were not best friends.

As per The Sunday Times, McAuliffe was not consulted about the Netflix show and has called the show "exploitative."

Listen to our exclusive interview with Chanelle McAuliffe. Story continues below.

Clive Rothwell.

Clive Rothwell in Apple Cider Vinegar. Image: Netflix.

Gibson indeed had a real-life partner called Clive Rothwell, just as is shown in the show.

In Apple Cider Vinegar, Ashley Zukerman plays Clive Rothwell, Belle Gibson's mysterious partner who financially supports her empire while managing to stay largely out of the spotlight.

The show portrays him as Gibson's romantic partner, though the true nature of their relationship remains one of the most intriguing aspects of the real-life scandal.

In reality, Clive Rothwell's exact role in Belle Gibson's life has always been somewhat unclear. While there were signs of a romantic relationship, including Gibson's admission of a miscarriage they experienced in 2012, Gibson herself denied any romantic involvement during a 2019 court appearance, describing him only as a friend and housemate.

Lucy.

Lucy in Apple Cider Vinegar. Image: Netflix.

Lucy is one of the most interesting characters in the show, given she is one of the only ones who is not based on a specific real-life person.

Lucy is a young woman battling breast cancer who falls deep into Belle's world of 'natural healing.' As we watch her reject conventional medicine in favour of green juices and coffee enemas, it's impossible not to feel a knot in your stomach.

Because while Lucy herself may be fictional, she represents thousands of real people who were drawn into Gibson's web of lies at their most vulnerable moment.

"Lucy's us. Lucy is the people who could suffer because of people like Belle," Strauss told Today.

Justin and Sean.

Justin and Sean in Apple Cider Vinegar. Image: Netflix.

In the series, we follow two journalists, Justin (Mark Coles Smith) and Sean (Richard Davies), as they uncover Gibson's lies.

The real life investigation was conducted by The Age journalists Nick Toscano and Beau Donelly, whose reporting ultimately exposed one of Australia's biggest wellness industry scandals.

But unlike their fictional counterparts, neither journalist had such a personal connection to cancer during their investigation. This dramatic addition to the Netflix series serves to highlight just how deeply Gibson's lies impacted those in the cancer community.

Hek.

Hek in Apple Cider Vinegar. Image: Netflix.

Remember Hek? The crisis manager desperately trying to keep Belle Gibson's empire from imploding? While the character might seem like a dramatic invention for Netflix, he's actually loosely inspired by a real person in Gibson's orbit.

Yahoo! reports that Alex Twomey was her former PR advisor, finding himself in the unenviable position of managing one of Australia's biggest wellness scandals. The real Twomey doesn't appear to have much in common with Hek other than his job description.

Feature Image: Netflix.