What's Fact and Fiction on Netflix'sApple Cider Vinegar? Uncovering the Truth Behind Belle Gibson’s Lies

Mar. 15, 2025

Kaitlyn Dever as Belle in ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’.Photo:Netflix© 2024

Netflix© 2024

Netflix is uncovering the tangled web ofBelle Gibson’s lies with its new series,Apple Cider Vinegar.

According to the official logline, the show tells 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.”

In the 2010s, Gibson rose to fame on social media as a wellness influencer whoclaimed to treat her terminal brain cancerthrough means of healthy eating and natural remedies.

She gained a huge following online for her social media posts and wellness app The Whole Pantry, but her lies eventually caught up with her as a local Australian newspaper began to poke holes in her cancer story.

Though the Netflix series modifies a few details about the real story, including changing the names of some of the people involved in the scandal, many of the storylines are based in truth.

Yes, Gibson lied about having cancerandabouther real age. While some details have also been changed about her close friend Chanelle, she did play a pivotal role in uncovering her lies.

Read ahead as we break down some of the biggest fact vs. fiction storylines from the series.

Belle Gibson and Kaitlyn Dever as Belle in ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’.60 Minutes Australia/YouTube; Courtesy of Netflix

60 Minutes Australia/YouTube; Courtesy of Netflix

Did Belle Gibson really have cancer?No

Kaitlyn Dever as Belle in ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’.Netflix© 2024

Among Gibson’s many lies, her biggest was thatshe had terminal brain cancer. The influencer centered her entire brand on the fake diagnosis, claiming that she had been healed through a holistic lifestyle and clean diet.

In 2015, the truth came to light as Australian journalists, Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano, poked holes in her claims, notably exposing her for lying about donating profits from her businesses to several charities. In a tell-all interview in April 2015, she admitted to lying about her cancer diagnosis, though she later backpedaled and claimed that it was actually her doctor who was misled about her diagnosis.

Did Belle Gibson also lie about her age?Yes

In addition to lying about her terminal brain cancer, Gibson also repeatedly lied about her age. When asked point blank about her real age during her60 Minutesinterview, Gibson failed to give a straight answer.

“I’ve always been raised as being currently a 26-year-old,” she told the reporter. When pressed again about her current age, she responded, “I live knowing as I’ve always known that I would be 26.” She claimed that she has two birth certificates and she has had her name changed four times, which she said has led to an identity crisis on her part.

Did Belle Gibson’s family publicly speak against her?Yes

Growing up, Gibson had a contentious relationship with her estranged mother, Natalie Dal-Bello, who later spoke out against her as her crimes were unveiled.

As shown on the series, her mother did a tell-all interview withWomen’s Weeklyin 2015, telling her side of the story and pleading with her daughter to tell the truth about her childhood as well as her scams.

Though he doesn’t appear as a character on the show, Gibson also has a brother who publicly spoke out against her. In addition to disputing some of her claims, including that he had autism, he also reprimanded her crimes.

“The things she’s done to those families, well, technically it’s fraud,” he told theDaily Mail. “I think she should be locked up, spend some time in prison and have a bit of a think about it because I don’t think she realises what she’s done to them.”

Is Belle Gibson a mom?Yes

Ashley Zukerman as Clive, Kaitlyn Dever as Belle in ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’.Courtesy of Netflix

Courtesy of Netflix

During a 2015 interview with the Australian publication, the reporter noted that Gibson became “visibly upset when questioned about [her miscarriage]” and refused to “discuss it, other than to tearfully deny allegations it was another false health crisis.”

Did Belle Gibson have a rival named Milla Blake?No

Alycia Debnam-Carey as Milla in ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’.Netflix

Netflix

Though Gibson didn’t come into contact with anyone named Milla Blake, the character is loosely based on Australian wellness entrepreneur Jessica Ainscough, who died of cancer in February 2015.

Like Milla’s character, Ainscough was diagnosed with a rare cancer at a young age and gained a following for her blog The Wellness Warrior, where she shared her journey of using alternative cancer treatments.

The bookThe Woman Who Fooled the World, which inspired the Netflix series, touches on Gibson and Ainscough’s relationship. According to the book, the two briefly met at a conference outside of Melbourne.

Did Belle Gibson’s book get published?Yes

As shown on the show, the publication of Gibson’s bookThe Whole Pantrywas a huge controversy at the time. The book was initially published in October 2014, but as Gibson’s scams came to light months later, the book’s publisher Penguin Books announced it would be discontinuing the publication and removing it from the shelves in March 2015.

“Despite our best endeavours, Penguin Books has not received sufficient explanation from Ms Gibson, author ofThe Whole Pantryrecipe book, in response to recent allegations. As such, we have been left with no other option but to stop supplying the book in Australia,” Penguin Books said in a statement at the time, perWoman’s Weekly.

Did Belle’s close friend help expose her lie?Yes

Alycia Debnam-Carey as Milla, Aisha Dee as Chanelle in ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’.Courtesy of Netflix

The character of Chanelle appears to be loosely based on two different people, Ainscough’s manager who is mentioned in the bookThe Woman Who Fooled the World, as well as Gibson’s close friend, Chanelle McAuliffe.

The latter actually played a pivotal role in exposing Gibson’s lies. As shown on the series, McAuliffe grew suspicious of Gibson and her diagnosis after the influencer had a seizure at her son’s birthday party.

“When I left the party, I felt sick to my stomach about what I had just seen,” she continued. “This was the point where red flags really started to pop up for me. I was feeling really confused … [and] in my gut, something didn’t feel right.”

She later confronted Gibson about the diagnosis head-on, but when Gibson failed to come clean, McAuliffe went to reporters to uncover the story.

“Finally, a journalist fromThe Agephoned me. I began telling him everything I knew, the little details that didn’t add up,” she explained. “The journalist began to believe that her charity claims were also fraudulent. They then confirmed with charities that they had not received any donations, so then we knew we had the story, we knew once that broke the rest would unravel.”

Did Clive Rothwell stay with Belle Gibson after her lies were exposed?Yes and no

Ashley Zukerman as Clive Rothwell in ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’.Courtesy of Netflix

However, she did note that Rothwell paid for many of her expenses, from her share of their $600 per-week rent, various living costs and thousands of dollars in legal expenses. He even paid for a $5,000 trip she and her son took to Africa, she said.

Did Belle Gibson really fraud a sick child with cancer?Yes

While Gibson’s lies about having cancer were a major part of her public downfall, her fraudulent claims regarding her charitable donations were another major component of her legal woes.

In 2015, two Australian journalists, Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano, exposed her for lying about donating profits from her businesses to several charities. Gibson was laterfound guilty of engaging in misleading and deceptive conductin 2017, tied to lying about her charitable donations. She was fined more than $400,000 and as of 2021, stillowed much of itto the Victorian government.

Similar to the series, Gibson befriended one family whose son had anaplastic astrocytoma grade III. As Gibson’s scams came to light, the family spoke with theHerald Sun, noting that many of Gibson’s claims about her brain cancer were similar to their son Joshua’s story.

“It wasn’t until I started reading all of the recent media reports about Belle that I started to see the similarities,” Joshua’s mother Penne Schwarz told the publication.  “We can’t help but think, ‘Did she use us to get in the mind of Joshua?’ ”

When the family confronted Gibson about the allegations, they say that she failed to give them a straight answer.

“I wanted to believe her story so much but when I messaged her to see if she was okay and ask her about the allegations she would reply but avoided giving any clear answers, or chose to completely avoid my questions,” Penne said.

source: people.com