| Apple Cider Vinegar | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Release poster | |
| Genre | Crime drama |
| Created by | Samantha Strauss |
| Based on | The Woman Who Fooled the World by Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano |
| Written by |
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| Directed by | Jeffrey Walker |
| Starring | |
| Composer | Cornel Wilczek |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Yvonne Collins |
| Production location | Melbourne, Australia |
| Running time | 55–65 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release | 6 February 2025 (2025-02-06) |
Apple Cider Vinegar is a 2025 Australian drama television limited series released onNetflix and produced bySee-Saw Films, based on the 2017 bookThe Woman Who Fooled the World by journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano. It starsKaitlyn Dever andAlycia Debnam-Carey as wellness guruBelle Gibson and Milla Blake, respectively, who use their platforms to promotealternative medicine. Gibson fools her following and the world with a fake cancer diagnosis, while Milla convinces her mother to join her in eschewing scientifically prescribed medical treatment.[1] The series received generally positive reviews.
The show followsBelle Gibson as she commits fraud by pretending to have cancer to promotealternative medicine.[2] Gibson launches a wellness recipe app and cookbook, but soon her lies are uncovered.[3]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Toxic" | Jeffrey Walker | Samantha Strauss | 6 February 2025 (2025-02-06) | |
Belle Gibson, a wellness influencer, claims to have overcome terminal brain cancer thanks toalternative medicine, but is eventually exposed. In 2015, Belle talks withcrisis manager Hek to salvage her ruined reputation, arguing that she was envied by her ex-friend Milla (a truecancer survivor) and confessing that she struggles to be accepted by society. The episode jumps between different time periods: in 2013, Belle launches her health app while her fan Lucy faces breast cancer; in 2014, Belle publishes a book while her former manager Chanelle plans to expose her; and in 2010, Belle, pregnant and suffering fromsocial isolation, pretends to have cancer in an online forum for attention. | |||||
| 2 | "Clean Sheets" | Jeffrey Walker | Samantha Strauss | 6 February 2025 (2025-02-06) | |
After Belle gives birth to her son, she struggles financially, starts an online business, and starts an affair with IT technician Clive. Meanwhile, Milla is sent by her mother to the Hirsch Institute, a Mexican hospital that rejects traditional treatments and usesGerson Therapy on cancer patients. In 2011, Belle attends the launch of Milla's book telling her story of overcoming cancer, and notes her increasing influence and fame. Clive becomes suspicious of Belle when he discovers she was lying about going tochemotherapy sessions. In 2014, Chanelle feels guilty for introducing Belle to real cancer patients and wants to expose her, so Lucy's husband Justin and his co-worker Sean start digging into Belle'sdigital footprint for proof of deceit. Approaching her doctor, he confirms that Belle is lying about the cancer and offers to help the investigation. In 2015, Belle manages to convince Hek to defend her. | |||||
| 3 | "Pink Dolphins" | Jeffrey Walker | Samantha Strauss | 6 February 2025 (2025-02-06) | |
In 2012, Clive finances the development of Belle's app The Whole Pantry, showcasing healthy recipes, and she suffers a miscarriage. Meanwhile, Milla establishes herself as a wellness influencer, launching a skincare line. Once the app becomes a success, Belle wants to make a cookbook out of it, and after forcing a meeting with Milla's book publisher Julie, wins her sympathy. In 2013, Milla deals with how her sick mother Tamara insists on only getting alternative treatments for her cancer, and Milla and Belle run for an entrepreneurship award. Belle wins, and an intrigued Milla investigates her and discovers she had moments pretending to be sick as a teenager, faking a heart attack and claiming to have leukemia. In 2014, Justin and Sean find out Belle did not pay collaborators and plagiarized content in her book. In 2015, Hek arranges an interview for Belle, who ignores his advice and lies during it. Once the interviewer confronts Belle about her stories and says they sought her mother for information, Belle gets angry and has a tantrum. | |||||
| 4 | "Mama Aya" | Jeffrey Walker | Anya Beyersdorf | 6 February 2025 (2025-02-06) | |
In 2013, Belle convinces Milla's friend Chanelle to get away from her and become her manager. In 2014, Milla struggles to sell her juice line and takes her mother to the Hirsch Institute, with Tamara collapsing on the way to Mexico. Belle strikes a deal withApple and launches a campaign to support a child with cancer that she met, Hunter. Once Clive travels to tend for his sick father, Belle gets overwhelmed at taking care of her son, ultimately realizing he is sick. She asks for the intervention of the eccentric Dr. Phil, who diagnoses Belle with liver cancer. During her son's birthday party, Belle argues with Clive, who finally confronts her for her lies, while Chanelle gets suspicious of Dr. Phil and discovers Belle kept food that Chanelle had cooked to Hunter for herself. Belle ultimately has a seizure in front of her son. In 2015, Lucy goes to aretreat in Peru, facing physical and psychological challenges. | |||||
| 5 | "Casseroles" | Jeffrey Walker | Angela Betzien | 6 February 2025 (2025-02-06) | |
In 2015, Belle's mother Natalie gives an interview calling her daughter an opportunist, making her angry. In 2014, after Belle's seizure, Chanelle discovers Tamara died and has an emotional collapse. Clive tries to take Belle to the hospital, and she manipulates the situation to make him not do so and keep Clive under her control, exploiting how much he cares for her son. After an argument with Chanelle, Belle thinks about revealing the truth on her app, but instead lies that more cancers have appeared, while announcing the book and promising to donate most of The Whole Pantry's profits to both health organizations and Hunter's family. Already devastated by her mother's death, Milla discovers the alternative treatments made her condition worse, asthe cancer spread to various organs and she has only three months to live. Julie starts to suspect Belle for her answers and behavior in a simulated interview. At the book launch, Belle makes a speech that culminates with her singing "Roar", while Chanelle leaves in disgust. Once Justin and Sean uncover proof that Belle had embezzled money that was supposed to be sent to Hunter, they confront her with an e-mail. Belle receives it during a flight, leading her to scream in panic. | |||||
| 6 | "Tapeworm" | Jeffrey Walker | Samantha Strauss | 6 February 2025 (2025-02-06) | |
In 2015, Belle lies in an interview, and Hek uses that to remember a suspicious story she had told about expelling atapeworm from her nose after drinkingapple cider vinegar. In 2014, Belle arrives uninvited to Milla's funeral, making a scene that makes everyone uncomfortable. During the funeral, Hunter's mother Fiona calls Belle charging her for the donation, and her excuses lead Fiona to realize the journalists were correct about the fraud claims. After sneaking into Milla's childhood bedroom, Belle tries to factiously comforts her widower Arlo, who kicks her out. Justin publishes a story on Belle's charity frauds. Belle victimizes herself online, and while she starts with public support, the tide turns against her once people start questioning her finances. Lucy and doctors request proof of Belle's cancer, leading Sean to publish an exposé about her faked disease. Julie takesThe Whole Pantry book off the shelves, Belle is expelled after trying to invade Apple's headquarters, and Clive decides that in spite of all that happened he needs to stay with Belle, afraid of what would happen if she tries raising her son alone. Desperate, Belle decides to do a fresh start inBeverly Hills and schedules an interview with60 Minutes Australia, where she has a disastrous, contradictory performance. Justin comforts Fiona, who cannot afford further treatment for Hunter, and decides to fully support Lucy as she goes after traditional cancer treatments. | |||||
Samantha Strauss createdApple Cider Vinegar and wrote the series withAnya Beyersdorf andAngela Betzien. The series is based on the 2017 bookThe Woman Who Fooled the World by journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano. All episodes are directed byJeffrey Walker, while Walker and executives at production companiesSee-Saw Films and Picking Scabs, along with Dever, serve as executive producers.[7]
On 15 December 2023, it was announced that the series had gone into production. The series filmed in and aroundMelbourne, Australia with funding secured fromScreen Australia andVicScreen.[8]
The trailer was released on 19 November 2024.[9] A second trailer for the series was released on 16 January 2025, with a release date of 6 February 2025.[10]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 84% of 61 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "Coating its tart tale in a sugary veneer,Apple Cider Vinegar's indictment of snake oil influencers finds a memorable avatar in Kaitlyn Dever's crisp performance."[11]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the series a score of 70 out of 100, based on 26 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[12]
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Astra TV Awards | Best Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie | Kaitlyn Dever | Nominated | [13] |
| Logie Awards | Best Miniseries or Telemovie | Apple Cider Vinegar | Won | [14] | |
| Best Lead Actress in a Drama | Alycia Debnam-Carey | Nominated | |||
| Kaitlyn Dever | Nominated | ||||
| Best Supporting Actor | Ashley Zukerman | Nominated | |||
| Mark Coles Smith | Nominated | ||||
| Matt Nable | Nominated | ||||
| Best Supporting Actress | Aisha Dee | Nominated | |||
| Tilda Cobham-Hervey | Nominated |
Data related toApple Cider Vinegar (TV series) at Wikidata
