Here's what's fact and what's fiction in Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix.

Netflix's newest series Apple Cider Vinegar tells the shocking story of disgraced wellness blogger Belle Gibson, who fooled millions into believing that she had cancer. But how much of what's on-screen actually happened?

For context, Belle Gibson was an influencer who created The Whole Pantry app and cookbook, which rocketed her to international fame. Her wellness empire was built on an elaborate lie — that she had overcome her terminal brain cancer through alternative therapies and clean eating.

The deception ran deep, with Gibson garnering fame and acclaim before her web of lies unravelled.

Gibson's downfall began when, despite promising to donate profits from her bestselling cookbook to various causes, investigations revealed these donations — reportedly worth $300,000 — had never materialised.

As journalists from The Age and The Australian dug deeper into Gibson's background, her wellness empire began to crumble. Ultimately, she was fined $410,000 by Consumer Affairs Victoria.

From the dramatic friendship-turned-rivalry between Gibson and fellow wellness influencer, Milla (reportedly inspired by real-life influencer Jessica Ainscough), the Netflix show explores several real-life events and adds certain dramatisations.

Watch the trailer for Apple Cider Vinegar. Article continues after video. 

Is Apple Cider Vinegar based on a true story?

Yes, Apple Cider Vinegar is based on the true story of Belle Gibson. But as with any screen adaptation of any real event, certain elements have been dramatised for storytelling purposes.

Even Netflix themselves have confirmed that, while the show is based on a true story, it is ultimately a work of fiction.

"The series has its inspirations in real events, but it is a work of fiction. Apple Cider Vinegar is a true-ish story based on a lie, about the rise and fall of a wellness empire, the culture that built it up, and the people who tore it down. Certain characters and events have been created or fictionalised," Netflix confirmed.

Belle Gibson gained a huge social media following after posting tips on using nutrition to battle cancer. Image: Netflix. 

That being said, the screenplay is based on the non-fiction book The Woman Who Fooled the World by Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano, the journalists who broke the story in 2015.

Is Belle Gibson a real person?

Yes. Any Australian knows this to be true.

Belle Gibson is an Australian convicted scammer who rose to fame in 2013 by falsely claiming she had cured her terminal brain cancer through natural remedies and healthy eating.

Like the show suggests, Gibson did indeed claim she had brain cancer. And after gaining a following of 300,000 on social media, where she posted tips on using nutrition to battle cancer, Gibson did also develop an app.

The series also explores the real-life investigation by certain publications into the validity of Gibson's story, which, well… happened.

Is Milla a real person?

Milla Blake, played by Alycia Debnam-Carey, is another wellness influencer who promotes food as a cancer cure on Instagram.

Milla Blake is not a real person, but her character is likely a composite character based on a number of Gibson's contemporaries in the wellness space.

In particular, Jess Ainscough's story has many parallels with the character.

Alycia Debnam-Carey plays Milla Blake in Apple Cider Vinegar. Image: Netflix. 

Jess was an Australian teen magazine editor who became a wellness influencer after being diagnosed with epithelioid sarcoma at age 22.

Rather than undergo recommended arm amputation, she pursued alternative Gerson therapy, which involved organic diets and coffee enemas.

As 'The Wellness Warrior', she built a successful brand through blogging and events until her death in 2015 at age 29.

Belle Gibson and Jessica Ainscough's complicated friendship.

In the show, Belle and Milla are portrayed as having a complex friendship-turned-rivalry.

But according to The Woman Who Fooled the World, the book on which the series was based, the two wellness figures met just once — at a conference outside Melbourne. It was a brief interaction where Gibson approached Ainscough about The Whole Pantry app. And Ainscough allegedly felt uneasy around Gibson.

"There definitely was a feeling like she... [was] trying to force something with Jess," Ainscough's manager, Yvette Luciano said of their interaction.

After that, the two would frequently support each other's social media posts with heart emojis and enthusiastic praise about each others "wellness journeys."

"In reality, Jess really had very little to do with Belle Gibson," journalist Donelly told Time.

Luciano, also confirmed that the two did not, in fact, have a close relationship "beyond an Instagram comment or two."

However, Milla's funeral scene from the series does seem to ring somewhat true, and, according to The Sydney Morning Herald, the reality was arguably worse. Similar to what was portrayed on screen, at Ainscough's funeral, witnesses described Gibson's behaviour as performative and inappropriate. It was reported that she wept "uncontrollably" and at one point even pulled Ainscough's fiance into a bedroom to cry on his shoulder.

"No one really knew what to do with her." Luciano said about Gibson's presence and behaviour at the funeral. "I didn't even know how she knew where Jess lived or how she got there."

"It was like she was making a point of being seen and heard," one guest told the newspaper. "Like she was trying to prove that she was more devastated than everybody else who was there."

Did the TV interview with Belle Gibson really happen?

It did, and it caused quite a media sensation in Australia.

Apple Cider Vinegar recreates Belle Gibson's infamous 60 Minutes interview from 2016.

After Gibson's lies were exposed, she sat down with journalist Tara Brown, who held Gibson accountable for lying about everything from her age to the fact that she did not have brain cancer, as Gibson tried to explain herself.

In the series, Kaitlyn Dever, as Belle Gibson, sits down in a similar pink jumper for this scene.

The series recreates Belle's iconic interview. Image: Netlix/Nine.

Does Belle Gibson have a partner in real life?

Belle Gibson was previously in a relationship with Clive Rothwell, though the exact nature of their relationship remains unclear.

While there were rumours of engagement, Gibson denied any romantic involvement with Rothwell during a 2019 court appearance, referring to him as just a friend and housemate.

In Netflix's Apple Cider Vinegar, Rothwell's character is portrayed by actor Ashley Zukerman.

Clive and Belle are no longer together.

Did Belle Gibson have a miscarriage?

The miscarriage scene depicted in episode 3 of Apple Cider Vinegar, where Belle and Clive lose their baby, is based on claims made by the real Belle Gibson about a miscarriage she suffered in 2012.

However, like many elements of Gibson's narrative, this claim was met with scepticism by those who had begun to question the veracity of her various health claims.

When interviewed by Women's Weekly in 2015, Gibson's reaction to questions about the miscarriage was reportedly emotional — she became "visibly upset" and refused to discuss the details, only "tearfully denying accusations that it was another fabricated health crisis."

Whether the miscarriage actually occurred remains unclear, leaving viewers to draw their own conclusions about this deeply personal claim.

Belle did marry Clive Rothwell in real-life, as portrayed in the series. Image: Netflix.

Is Chanelle a real person?

While many characters in Apple Cider Vinegar are fictional composites, one stands out as being drawn directly from reality.

The character of Chanelle, played by The Bold Type's Aisha Dee, is based on Gibson's former best friend, Chanelle McAuliffe.

McAuliffe first met Gibson after being assigned her as an interviewee during a writing internship and, after finding out Gibson was lying about cancer and misleading people, made it her mission to expose Belle's lies.

Why is the Netflix show called Apple Cider Vinegar?

The title Apple Cider Vinegar was specifically chosen to represent a larger trend of wellness culture and false promises.

"I wanted something that would capture this idea of hope in a bottle and that could be a bigger umbrella than something that would relate only to Belle," creator Samantha Strauss told Netflix's Tudum.

The name reflects the 'miracle solution' that many of these wellness content creators peddle to their hoards of followers.

What does Apple Cider Vinegar get wrong about what happened?

The show certainly takes some creative liberties as well.

When it comes to the biggest difference between the show and Gibson's real life? The people around her.

In the show, some of the supporting characters are actually fictional, presumably in order to help dramatise Gibson's story.

Apple Cider Vinegar is available to stream on Netflix.

Feature Image: Netflix/Nine. 

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