What happens when an influencer gets caught in a lie?
Usually, not much. It happens all the time: Someone gains a following, says or does something wildly offensive or inappropriate, gets “canceled” for a bit, then continues making content. But for Belle Gibson, a career-ending confession destroyed the empire she had built and called the industry of alternative medicine into question.
In the early 2010s, Australian influencer Belle Gibson became one of the most prominent names in the wellness industry. The story of how she cured her terminal brain cancer with a healthy diet captivated audiences around Australia, and she quickly saw wild success in her mobile app and cookbook, both of which were titled “The Whole Pantry.” Gibson was a young mother with a dream, and her journey tugged at her followers’ heartstrings.
However, journalists and fans started to speculate on Gibson’s diagnoses due to her impeccable health and alleged charity fraud, and Gibson confirmed in a 2015 interview with The Australian Women’s Weekly that she never had brain cancer. She had scammed millions of people and shattered the hope that she had instilled in her followers. Netflix’s new miniseries “Apple Cider Vinegar,” created by Samantha Strauss, follows a fictionalized version of Gibson as she builds both her platform and her web of lies. “Apple Cider Vinegar” is deeply disturbing yet painfully relevant as the topics of social media and healthcare continue to be the subjects of a long-winded political debate.
“This is a true story based on a lie.” This line is spoken at the beginning of every episode, explaining that while certain aspects of the story have been dramatized or fictionalized, the lasting effects of Gibson’s deception still remain in the media. In addition, it was clarified that Gibson was not compensated for this story. In an interview with Vulture, Strauss stated, “I really hope this isn’t a glorification of Belle’s behavior.” Strauss made it clear that this miniseries was intended to be a lesson on how the media can warp reality.
The show begins in 2016, when Belle [Disclaimer: “Belle” is used to refer to the character, while “Gibson” is used to refer to the person who the character is based on], played by American actress Kaitlyn Dever, describes her predicament to a crisis management team. Allegations that she was faking her cancer have started to spread across the internet, and she is taking desperate measures to repair her career. “Apple Cider Vinegar” has a nonlinear storyline, focusing both on Belle’s health journey as well as her frantic effort to fix her media presence. The show also focuses on fictional cancer patients Milla Blake (Alycia Debnam-Carey), a fellow influencer who became both inspiration and online competition for Belle—loosely based on Jessica Ainscough—and Lucy Guthrie (Tilda Cobham-Hervey), a loyal follower of Belle’s.
We are introduced to Belle as a young, lonely mother, disappointed in her lack of fulfilling personal relationships. She begins posting online about having terminal brain cancer, slowly gaining the sympathy and trust of her peers. Blinded by likes and follows, Belle continues to grow her platform, making up more and more medical conditions to exploit the emotions of a wider audience.
While “Apple Cider Vinegar” is centered around Belle, it also tells the story of two fictional women based on people in Gibson’s life. Milla was diagnosed with multiple sarcomas and was recommended to have her arm amputated. She decided, however, to turn to alternative medicine, using a treatment plan filled with organic juices and coffee enemas to try to naturally cure her cancer. On the other hand, Lucy had been receiving conventional treatments for her breast cancer for years, and was growing increasingly weary. Belle’s platform became a source of inspiration and hope, as she was desperate to try something new. Milla and Lucy’s stories both served as points of conflict for Belle and as cautionary tales about the danger of alternative medicine.
Strauss makes a point to highlight the cognitive dissonance present in Belle, Milla and Lucy’s lives through the show’s cinematography and soundtrack. One recurring visual theme is the use of complementary colors blue and orange: Blue is used to represent the overly sterile medical industry, while orange represents natural healing and growth. These two colors appear consistently, coding the characters’ opinions and attitudes. In addition, “Apple Cider Vinegar” pairs relatively peaceful shots with an overstimulating soundtrack, reflecting the same sense of cognitive dissonance onto the viewer.
“Apple Cider Vinegar” also balances discomfort with relatability. Although Belle is written to be an entirely unsympathetic anti-hero, there are many scenes that remind us that there is a story behind everything. The humanization of Belle, as well as the poignant moments in Milla and Lucy’s stories, demonstrate the impact which Belle and her platform have not only on the health of her followers, but also on her own psyche.
At its core, “Apple Cider Vinegar” is a commentary on the dangers of digital media. This is not by any means a new story, as docu-dramas and biopics have been conveying this message since “The Social Network” (2010). With the constantly rising level of misinformation about modern medicine circulating in the political sphere and a death of trust in expertise among the public, “Apple Cider Vinegar” is a hard-hitting reminder of the responsibilities which influencers hold in a world where critical thinking and media literacy can become obscure. This impactful miniseries about an overwhelmingly charismatic conwoman is an immortalized warning that not everything on social media is a reflection of the truth.