The Real History Behind Apple Cider Vinegar

“Apple Cider Vinegar” is a compelling drama inspired by the 2015 book “The Woman Who Fooled the World,” written by investigative journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano.

Several characters in the series, such as the disgraced wellness influencer Belle Gibson (portrayed by Kaitlyn Dever), are directly modeled after real individuals, keeping their names intact. Other main characters are fictional mash-ups of individuals associated with Gibson, including Milla Blake (played by Alycia Debnam-Carey).

For years, the actual Gibson claimed to have cured herself of terminal brain cancer through a natural diet and various alternative treatments. She gained fame as an Instagram influencer and a wellness entrepreneur, launching a successful app, Whole Pantry, along with a popular cookbook.

However, the shocking truth emerged: Gibson never had cancer at all.

Her dramatic downfall followed swiftly after she confessed during a 2015 interview with Australia’s The Weekly. Besides fabricating her diagnosis, Gibson had claimed that a significant portion of Whole Pantry’s profits would be donated to charitable causes, which was later disproven by a court ruling from the Federal Court of Australia in 2017.

Gibson’s deceit raised alarms regarding the influence of wellness promoters on crucial health choices faced by real people.

Continue reading to discover more about the true events and individuals that informed “Apple Cider Vinegar.”

What has the creator of ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’ said about the true story?

Samantha Strauss, the show’s writer and creator, emphasizes that “Apple Cider Vinegar” is a “true-ish” portrayal of Gibson’s fraud, clarifying that the series was never meant to give Gibson a platform.

Strauss states she has never met Gibson and utilized “The Woman Who Fooled the World” as a “template” for her narrative.

“It really became a jumping-off point for us,” she tells TODAY.com. “I don’t know what Belle discussed in real life; I can only speculate on her motivations. So, this is our fictional interpretation.”

She shares the rationale behind the show concluding shortly after Gibson’s deception is uncovered, rather than delving into the present circumstances of the real Gibson.

“I preferred the notion of leaving Belle in a somewhat fragile state of hope,” Strauss explains. “Maybe she has learned from her past and won’t repeat those cycles.”

Strauss notes that, to her knowledge, Gibson has never faced fines or imprisonment for her actions.

“In many ways, social media served as her punishment,” she observes.

In September 2017, the Federal Court of Australia mandated Gibson to pay $410,000 due to her “unconscionable conduct.”

By early 2020, according to the Australian Associated Press and reported by The Guardian, Gibson had yet to settle the fine. Her residence was raided in 2021.

In late 2023, Donelly and Toscano received another update from Consumer Affairs Victoria, which they revealed in their book.

A spokesperson informed them that the agency was “continuing to chase” Gibson and noted that her “entire debt” remained “unpaid.”

Which ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’ characters are based on real individuals?

A number of characters in “Apple Cider Vinegar” are directly inspired by actual people, with their names left unchanged.

Belle Gibson

The character Belle Gibson is modeled after the real-life Australian influencer who fabricated cancer claims for years while constructing her wellness empire. Gibson confessed to her deception in an interview with Australia’s The Weekly in 2015.

Clive Rothwell

In the series, Belle’s boyfriend Clive Rothwell, portrayed by Ashley Zuckerman, appears to be based on a real individual.

According to “The Woman Who Fooled the World,” the actual Rothwell is an IT consultant from Adelaide, Australia, mirroring his character in the show.

Gibson referred to Rothwell as her housemate and friend during a 2019 court hearing, as reported by The Guardian.

In the miniseries, Rothwell starts to question Gibson’s illness, but ultimately steps back as he wishes to remain a part of Gibson’s young son’s life.

This aspect appears to be a creative liberty taken by the show’s writers; the real Rothwell has never publicly acknowledged whether he was aware of Gibson’s deception regarding her cancer or the nature of any discussions they may have had about her health.

Gibson’s young son

According to “The Woman Who Fooled the World,” the real Gibson indeed has a son.

Gibson’s mother

Gibson’s actual mother, Natalie Dal-Bello, along with her husband Andrew Dal-Bello, are also portrayed in “Apple Cider Vinegar” using their real names.

Some of the lines delivered by Natalie Dal-Bello, interpreted by Essie Davis, seem to draw from genuine quotes made by Dal-Bello during interviews with Donelly and Toscano about “The Woman Who Fooled the World,” or from her 2015 interview with The Weekly.

“I cannot express how embarrassed we are regarding what she has done. I offer my sincere apologies to all those she has misled and for our small part in her life,” the Natalie character states in the series, closely mirroring real Dal-Bello’s statement made to The Weekly.

Julie Gibbs

The character of publisher Julie Gibbs, played by Catherine McClements, appears to be directly modeled after the real-life Julie Gibbs, the former director of Lantern, a cookbook imprint under Penguin publishing.

The real Gibbs collaborated with Gibson on her Whole Pantry cookbook. She departed Penguin in 2015 following the fallout from Gibson’s cancer revelations, as noted by Donelly and Toscano. She chose not to participate in interviews for “The Woman Who Fooled the World.”

Which ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’ characters are fictional?

Certain characters in “Apple Cider Vinegar” are fictional, although they seem to be influenced, at least in part, by those who interacted with Belle Gibson.

Milla Blake

The character of Milla Blake, a wellness influencer who asserts she cured herself of cancer through natural methods, represents a “composite of wellness influencers of that era,” as Alycia Debnam-Carey, who played Milla, conveyed to TODAY.com.

Debnam-Carey notes that there are “parallels” between Milla’s character and Australian influencer Jess Ainscough, known as “The Wellness Warrior” to her followers.

Similar to how Milla’s storyline unfolds, Ainscough discovered lumps on her arm in her early twenties and was diagnosed with a rare cancer. When advised by doctors to amputate her left arm at the shoulder, she opted for chemotherapy instead. This provided her with temporary relief, according to “The Woman Who Fooled the World.”

When the cancer recurred a year later, Ainscough opted against amputation and instead explored alternative treatments. She devoted herself to Gerson therapy, a controversial regimen from the 1920s claiming to “detoxify” the body through methods like juicing and strict diets.

As per reports from The National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society, Gerson therapy has shown “no benefit” in treating cancer and could even cause adverse effects.

Ainscough garnered a substantial following as she documented her wellness journey on social media. In 2013, she published a bestselling book titled “Make Peace With Your Plate.”

Seven years after her initial cancer diagnosis, Ainscough passed away at the age of 29 in 2015.

Milla’s journey in “Apple Cider Vinegar” parallels Ainscough’s life closely, and the fictional Hirsch Institute Milla attends in Mexico resembles the Gerson Institute.

However, there are notable differences. In the show, Milla is depicted as rejecting conventional medical treatments from the outset; Ainscough’s family has stated she was initially open to chemotherapy.

“It has been reported that Jess shunned conventional treatment and doctors; this is not true,” her family stated in a tribute shared by Australia’s The Sunshine Coast Daily.

While Debnam-Carey notes that Milla’s character drew inspiration from Ainscough, she emphasizes that Milla was developed as a character who could “go toe-to-toe with Belle.”

“The dynamic between the two was a fascinating narrative. Belle lies to the world, while Milla is perhaps deceiving herself, convinced she is responsible for her cancer.”

Lucy

The character Lucy (Tilda Cobham-Hervey), a woman diagnosed with breast cancer who is inspired by Belle’s social media posts, is also fictional.

The show’s creator, Samantha Strauss, describes Lucy as “the heart of the show,” representing those influenced by Gibson’s message.

“Lucy is us,” Strauss shares with TODAY.com. “Lucy embodies the individuals who might be harmed by influencers like Belle.”

Although Lucy is a fictional construct, her narrative has similarities with Kate Thomas, who is extensively covered in “The Woman Who Fooled the World.”

Like Lucy, Thomas was diagnosed with breast cancer in her 30s. As she went through chemotherapy, she came across Gibson on social media and was captivated by her discussion regarding alternative treatments.

“To learn that she had navigated this path but chosen a natural approach was inspiring,” Thomas expressed to Donelly and Toscano for their book. “Her story sparked hope for individuals like me that we might avoid intense treatments and still survive.”

Thomas’ partner, Nik Donaldson, exhibited skepticism towards Gibson’s claims, which reflects the dynamic between Lucy and Justin in the series.

After discovering Gibson’s falsehoods, Thomas expressed feeling betrayed and furious for those who might have abandoned evidence-based treatments based on Gibson’s advice.

“I’m baffled by how she can reconcile her actions,” Thomas told Donelly and Toscano. “People were calling her an inspiration for opting out of chemo… Belle would have undoubtedly seen those comments knowing that people were forgoing treatment. That is unacceptable.”

Ultimately, Thomas decided to pursue conventional treatment. An interview with the Geelong Advertiser in May 2024 reported that Thomas was “clear of cancer” at that time.

Chanelle

Actor Aisha Dee portrays Chanelle as a “voice of reason,” representing the audience’s perspective.

“She views things similarly to how I believe the audience perceives the show when watching it at home,” she explains to TODAY.com.

In reality, Gibson had a friend named Chanelle who was interviewed for “The Woman Who Fooled the World,” although there are some narrative differences.

The Chanelle character in the series collaborates with Milla Blake and Gibson, but there is no evidence suggesting the real Chanelle had such interactions.

According to “The Woman Who Fooled the World,” the actual Chanelle confronted Gibson about her cancer claims and recounted an incident where Gibson pretended to have a seizure during her son’s birthday party, an event portrayed in the series.