“Apple Cider Vinegar” is a fictionalized television series inspired by real events, specifically the story of Belle Gibson and her wellness empire. While the series draws inspiration from real life, it is a work of fiction, with characters and events created or fictionalized for dramatic purposes.
The series is inspired by the reporting of journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano, first published in The Age newspaper and later expanded into their book The Woman Who Fooled the World. This book details the true story of Belle Gibson, who gained fame and fortune through her wellness app and claims to have cured her own terminal cancer through natural methods, only to be later exposed as a fraud.
The creators of “Apple Cider Vinegar” have described it as a “true-ish” story, meaning it takes significant inspiration from real events but also includes fictional elements for narrative purposes. This allows them to explore the themes and issues surrounding the real-life story while also creating a compelling drama.
Discover the cast behind this captivating drama.
Kaitlyn Dever as Belle Gibson
Dever plays Belle Gibson, an Australian wellness influencer who builds an empire based on the lie that she’s cured her terminal brain cancer through health and wellness.
Alycia Debnam-Carey as Milla Blake
Milla is a young woman who builds a platform promoting the power of food to fight cancer.
Aisha Dee as Chanelle
Dee plays Milla’s close friend, Chanelle, who meets Belle at an event and begins working with her on her growing business.
Tilda Cobham-Hervey as Lucy
Cobham-Hervey plays Lucy, a young woman whose heartbreaking cancer diagnosis changes the course of her and her husband’s lives drastically. To help her cope, Lucy looks to Belle’s online community.
Mark Coles Smith as Justin
Coles Smith plays Lucy’s husband. He’s a journalist who seeks justice for those Belle has deceived, while navigating his wife’s illness.
Ashley Zukerman as Clive
Clive enters Belle’s life and believes she has cancer. Won over by Belle’s charm and ambition, he becomes tangled in her lies.
Susie Porter as Tamara Blake
Tamara is Milla’s mom. She desperately wants to support and help her daughter however she can when she’s diagnosed with cancer.
Matt Nable as Joe Blake
Milla’s dad Joe is skeptical of non-conventional cancer treatments.
Phoenix Raei as Hek
Belle enlists Hek’s help as a crisis manager when public opinion starts to turn against her.
Chai Hansen as Arlo
Arlo and Milla know each other from school. They reconnect at a wellness retreat after Milla’s cancer diagnosis.
Richard Davies as Sean
Davies plays Sean, an investigative journalist who looks into Belle’s story.
Essie Davis as Natalie
Davis plays Belle’s estranged mom, Natalie. The duo has a troubled relationship.
Catherine McClements as Julie Gibbs
Julie is an editor interested in publishing Belle’s cookbook.
Kieran Darcy-Smith as Andrew
Andrew is Belle’s stepdad. Belle isn’t his biggest fan.
“Apple Cider Vinegar” premiered on February 6, 2025, on Netflix.
