Apple TV+’s new series, Apple Cider Vinegar has left many wondering if it’s based on a true story. The show chronicles the life of Belle, a wellness guru with a huge following, claiming to have fought her cancer battle naturally. However, she gets into trouble after her fake claims are exposed.
Here are details about the story’s real-life inspiration.
Is Belle Gibson from Apple Cider Vinegar a real person?
Yes, Belle Gibson’s character is inspired by a real woman with the same name.
Although the drama takes its creative liberties, its main character is inspired by the real-life Belle Gibson, an Australian influencer who misled her devoted followers by falsely claiming to have been battling terminal brain cancer, gaining massive attention.
She leveraged her platform to suggest natural therapies and nutrition diets to deal with serious illness, misguiding her followers. Investigative journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano publicly exposed her false cancer claims and charity work. While she wasn’t criminally prosecuted, she was fined for indulging in misleading and deceptive conduct.
What’s the inspiration behind other Apple Cider Vinegar characters?
Apple Cider Vinegar presents a mix of characters. Some are based on real life while others are completely fictional. The series takes inspiration from Donelly and Toscano’s book The Woman Who Fooled the World for bringing Belle’s character to life. However, while making the series, showrunner Samantha Strauss was particularly “looking at a whole tapestry of people across the wellness and medical spaces.”
While Belle is based on a real person, characters like Milla mirror the influencer community of that time. Milla, struggling with cancer, tries to cope with it after getting persuaded by Belle’s guidance.”She’s someone who is desperately trying to save her own life and becomes blind to the truth because of it,” Strauss said.
Kaitlyn Dever also reflected on the diverse characters, mentioning that the series portrays “all kinds of different points of view in this story” (via Tudum).
Originally reported by Shazmeen Navrange on ComingSoon.
