Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar follows an Australian influencer, Belle Gibson, who fakes cancer treatment to gain clout. However, Gibson was in fact a real person, and here is the story behind the scandal.

Apple Cider Vinegar Netflix Cast

March 25th 2025-Showrunner, Samantha Strauss actually based the show on a book. Specifically, The Woman Who Fooled the World: The True Story of Fake Wellness Guru Belle Gibson was the blueprint for the hit show. Written by journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano, the non-fiction book details the scandal surrounding Belle Gibson.

Gibson is a former wellness influencer based in Australia. The Instagram influencer claimed to have cured her own brain cancer through a healthy diet and alternative medicine. Obviously, Gibson was lying and never had brain cancer. However, her story does hold value for writers wanting to explore the exploitative nature of the wellness industry.

Advertised as a “a true-ish story based on a lie,’ the series has led to a resurfacing of Gibson’s actions. Therefore, this results in a discussion about deception and manipulation in the wellness industry.

Is Apple Cider Vinegar Fiction

According to the Netflix website, the series is based on a real person and events. However, it is loosely based on Gibson’s story, and ”certain characters and events have been created or fictionalized.” However, Strauss still remains true to the key themes of the book, despite taking creative liberties.

“While elements of [the TV series] are obviously fictionalized, it does a really good job, in our opinion, of conveying those sorts of issues that really propelled us to write the book in the first place,” co-author Toscano said on a podcast.

Netflix Apple Cider Vinegar Based On

In 2017, the real Gibson was convicted of misleading and deceptive conduct. As punishment, the Federal Court of Australia ordered her to pay a fine of about $400,000 Australian dollars. In addition, Gibson allegedly still has not paid her fines, and she never faced jail time. While she did break consumer laws, the crime itself was not serious enough to warrant her spending time in prison. However, her outstanding debt has led to further legal action, which included two different cases of search and sale warrants.

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Published by HOLR Magazine

Image Credit: @kaitlyndever Instagram