Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar needs to get one thing right about Belle Gibson scandal

As someone who has been enthralled by the rise and fall of social media influencers, I eagerly await Netflix’s upcoming true crime drama series Apple Cider Vinegar. Having followed the Belle Gibson saga since its inception, I am particularly excited to see how this story unfolds on screen.


Netflix has revealed a sneak peek at their forthcoming true crime drama titled “Apple Cider Vinegar,” which will delve into the authentic narrative of Belle Gibson, often referred to as Instagram’s most notorious fraudster. However, there’s one aspect they must portray accurately.

Recently, we’ve had an abundance of high-quality true crime dramas to choose from. For instance, in 2024, Netflix released Monster Season 2 and Anna Kendrick’s exceptional series, Woman of the Hour.

Up next on your screen are TV series that revolve around the investigations of JonBenét Ramsey, Natalia Grace, and Amanda Knox. Prior to these, the streaming platform is focusing on Belle Gibson, a notorious figure who deceived people by claiming to have miraculously cured her terminal cancer with diet and wellness practices.

She profited off her lies, creating the highly successful The Whole Pantry app while exploiting the health struggles of others. This is the inspiration behind Apple Cider Vinegar, which stars Kaitlyn Dever as the Australian con artist. 

Apple Cider Vinegar should explore Belle Gibson’s past

The upcoming series, as suggested in the preview, unfolds during the initial stages of Instagram, focusing on the story of Gibson’s fascination with the online admiration she received. However, I’m eager for it to explore her past further, revealing that her dishonesty was not solely rooted in social media.

Netflix’s statement about Apple Cider Vinegar implies that while there is some truth to its benefits, the portrayal is more like a fictional tale. As Samantha Strauss points out, it’s intriguing to observe the way media exploits food as a tool, making us yearn for nourishment, yet often overlooking the high cost and accessibility issues associated with maintaining good health.

In a gaming perspective, diving deep into the mind of the character Gibson could unveil an engaging narrative that’s worth delving into, especially in this post-influencer era. To fully grasp the impact of her actions within the game world, it’d be intriguing to explore her thoughts, emotions, and motivations more thoroughly.

It’s important to note that Belle Gibson’s deceptive actions weren’t limited to social media manipulation or financial fraud. Her questionable behavior actually extended far beyond her role as a wellness guru, as revealed in the ITV documentary series “Instagram’s Worst Con Artist” by the journalist who initially exposed Gibson, Richard Guilliatt.

Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar needs to get one thing right about Belle Gibson scandal

As Guilliatt prepared to interview Gibson, he aimed to uncover details about her life prior to the establishment of Whole Pantry. However, upon delving into her past, he found that Gibson had no discernible online presence whatsoever before the year 2013.

Initially, he delved extensively into past events, and what he uncovered left him astounded. He came across Belle Gibson’s exchanges on a skateboarding forum, but her online character contrasted starkly with the image of the earthy, health food advocate she was recognized as.

Rather than her, she appeared as a brunette with an alternative, edgy style reminiscent of goth culture. Guilliatt found it hard to fathom that they were the same individual until he recognized the elbow tattoo in her past photographs. To learn more about this period of her life, he chose to contact some of her friends from that time.

Former friends expose long history of lies

Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar needs to get one thing right about Belle Gibson scandal

Among the old friends of hers include Shelby Nagy, whom she met at age 13, and Anthony de Sylva, a companion from the skating community. Both of them recall her as being lively, sociable, self-assured, and quite distinct from the reserved character she portrays in her Whole Pantry persona.

Towards the middle of 2009, de Sylva mentions that Gibson began sharing bizarre tales on the forum, claiming to have gone through open-heart surgery, experiencing death for three minutes, and being in a coma.

Last night, I woke up feeling like I had been in a fight – my eyes and nose were bleeding. It’s hard to separate reality from illusion sometimes, but one fact remains undeniable: the attention I got after that incident was overwhelming.

Months following another skater’s announcement of his brain tumor surgery, which eventually proved fatal, Guilliatt found out that Gibson had pretended to befriend the skater and discussed her fabricated health issues with him.

Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar needs to get one thing right about Belle Gibson scandal

According to de Sylva, it seemed as though she might have drawn inspiration from the local skateboarding scene. Meanwhile, Guilliatt notes that it looked like she was borrowing other people’s tales and incorporating them into her own story.

Essentially, what this means is that Belle Gibson’s history shows she has been telling intricate falsehoods from her youth, hinting at a more complex, potentially psychological problem underlying these actions. It’d be captivating for Apple Cider Vinegar to delve into this aspect of her past storyline.

Investigating the origins of her deceit may offer valuable background information about how she concocted her most elaborate swindle so far, according to the series.

Why is it called Apple Cider Vinegar?

Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar needs to get one thing right about Belle Gibson scandal

The Netflix series buckles tradition with its unique name. However, Strauss explains that the purpose was to encapsulate the concept of bottled hope, which would encompass more than just relating to Belle.

Instead of choosing a title that directly refers to the main character or event, as is common in true crime dramas (like “The Belle Gibson Story” or “The Whole Pantry”), Strauss opted for a more symbolic or figurative title instead.

Regarding the storyline, Apple Cider Vinegar centers on the rise of Gibson’s notoriety and Milla Blake, portrayed by Alycia Debnam-Carey, who establishes a competing health platform following her diagnosis with cancer.

Apart from Gibson, most characters in the story are works of fiction, likely depicting individuals who were taken advantage of by her. The inspiration for this series comes from the book titled “The Woman Who Fooled the World,” penned by journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano.

At this moment, Apple Cider Vinegar doesn’t have a scheduled release date, but rest assured, we will notify you as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, explore some gripping documentaries on Netflix, learn about Vice TV’s Dark Side of Reality TV, and delve into the unsettling truth behind Don’t Pick Up the Phone.

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2024-11-19 15:18