The Netflix series, Apple Cider Vinegar, tells the harrowing tale of Belle Gibson, the Australian wellness guru who rose to fame by falsely claiming to have cured terminal brain cancer with healthy eating and alternative therapies. This six-part miniseries, released on February 6, 2024, is based on the true story of Gibson’s deception, providing insight not only about her rise as a wellness influencer but also her eventual downfall.
Gibson first captured the public’s attention through her Instagram account, @healing_belle, where she promised to share her miraculous recovery from cancer through nutritious meals. By 2013, she claimed to have terminal brain cancer, and her story took off, allowing her to launch the app The Whole Pantry. The app quickly became the top-rated food app on Apple’s store, receiving accolades and promoting her lifestyle brand.
Gibson's success was rapid; she published her cookbook, also named The Whole Pantry, and garnered partnerships with tech giants like Apple. Her narrative of overcoming illness struck a chord with many, presenting her both as courageous and inspirational. Yet beneath the surface lay egregious untruths. Investigative journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano examined her claims closely, leading to revelations about Gibson’s lack of any genuine illness.
According to reports, as her notoriety grew, so did her financial profits. Belle Gibson reportedly earned over half a million dollars within two years of launching The Whole Pantry. Promising to donate to various charities and make significant contributions to causes she claimed to support, she was soon discovered to have made little to no donations.
Her fraudulent activities caught the attention of journalists at The Age, leading to the publication of exposés showcasing her discrepancies and asserting she had never been diagnosed with cancer. By March 2015, after Gibson had already captivated audiences, Donelly and Toscano published articles investigating her claims about charitable donations, which revealed none of the charities she had pledged to support had received any funds.
Gibson later admitted, "None of it's true," when confronted directly, yet still resisted accepting culpability. Following the fallout from the investigative reports, Gibson faced numerous legal challenges including being found guilty of misleading conduct by the Federal Court of Australia and fined approximately $400,000 AUD. Media representation painted her as one of the “most hated women” of Australia, marking the downfall of her once-celebrated persona.
Creating the character for Apple Cider Vinegar, showrunner Samantha Strauss drew upon Donelly and Toscano’s book, The Woman Who Fooled The World, which chronicles the various ways Gibson manipulated her followers and fabricated her illness. The show serves both as entertainment and cautionary tale, highlighting the rampant issues of misinformation within the wellness industry, especially during vulnerable times.
Among the characters is Milla, played by Alycia Debnam-Carey, who is based on real-life wellness influencer Jess Ainscough, another figure who promoted natural healing. Ainscough herself passed away from cancer, and the show explores various perspectives on the consequences of misguided trust. Strauss aims to initiate discussions surrounding how such fraudulent figures manipulate public sentiment and the potential harm they can cause.
Gibson's fabrication of her cancer diagnosis and wellness claims raises significant questions about accountability and the dangers inherent to the wellness movement, especially for those gravely ill who may seek hope through alternative remedies. Strauss argues, "There is absolutely a place for community and yoga and meditation. Drink your juice! But listening to scientists and doctors doesn’t do us any disservice."
Since the revelations, Belle Gibson has faded from the public eye. Reportedly, she has changed her identity, now known as Sabontu, claiming to have been adopted by the Oromo community in Melbourne. She resurfaced post-2015 scandal but has faced significant backlash and distancing from various communities, exposing her troubled relationships and continuing estrangement from family.
Whereabouts of Gibson remain murky, as she has sat out of the public view, and her financial complications have added to the narrative. Authorities undertook several attempts to recoup fines, raiding her home twice to seize valuables—yet, she remains defiant, asserting she cannot afford to pay her financial obligations.
Apple Cider Vinegar not only brings Gibson’s past to light but engages with societal lessons about accountability, influence, and the dangers of misinformation. It insists viewers reassess the claims of wellness influencers and holds up the mirror on our instincts to trust those who proclaim to offer solutions to our most desperate crises.