Netflix has brought a few stories of scammers over the years. The latest story is Apple Cider Vinegar, which is loosely based on truth.
The limited series follows two people using social media to tout their “healthier” lifestyle options when treating cancer. One is via Bella Gibson, who the main story is about, and the other was by Milla, who was a composite of other social media influencers including Jess Ainscough.
Who was the real Bella Gibson from Apple Cider Vinegar?
One thing the Netflix series didn’t explain was the title of the show. This wasn’t something Bella touted as a cure-all ingredient. However, according to Time, the showrunners chose the title because of how popular it is for home wellness gurus.
Bella pretended that she was extremely sick, sharing that she had a brain tumor. She took to the internet to share that she used food to help her cure her cancer, encouraging many others to do the same. Eventually, the secrets came out.
Bella wasn’t sick. She faked it all, and it was people around her who went to investigative journalists to share their findings. In the show, Aisha Dee’s character Chanelle works with a couple of investigative journalists to expose Bella. Chanelle was the one who took her findings, and others started to speak up.
Sure enough, Bella Gibson was found guilty of misleading and deceptive conduct. She was fined around $332,000 once exchange rates are considered. She did have an app and a book called The Whole Pantry, and both were quicky removed from app stores, shelves, and publication.
Who was the real Milla from Apple Cider Vinegar?
Milla was formed from a variety of social media influencers who have used their platforms to share their own battles with illnesses. Not all of them were scammers, but the focus of this storyline was to show how dangerous these influencers can be. Many people end up following their advice and cut out all conventional treatments, such as chemotherapy.
Milla was mostly based on Jess Ainscough, a woman who did really have cancer. As a teen magazine editor, she took to social media to share who she remained in remission through diet and exercise. She pushed against traditional chemo and radiotherapy.
Many people followed her guidance, including her own mother. This is something the TV series follows through with, highlighting the dangers as Jess’s mother died in 2013 of cancer. Jess died two years later.
What isn’t true in the series is how Milla and Bella were friends. This wasn’t the case for Jess and Bella. While they did connect a little on social media via comments, there was never any personal friendship. Jess also didn’t work on airing Bella’s fraudulent ways in the way that Milla did in the series.
How Bella was caught in real life
In Apple Cider Vinegar, we see Justin, played by Mark Coles Smith, work on exposing Bella. His partner, Lucy, was going through breast cancer, and she turned to Bella’s advice to treat it. Of course, it has the effect that you would expect, although the exposition helps Lucy.
In real life, Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano were the two investigative journalists working on exposing Bella. This happened after they got a tip from Bella’s friend Chanelle. Neither of them had a partner going through cancer treatments.
The storyline of Justin’s partner was likely to add a more personal connection to these characters for us. We needed to see why they would push to expose the truth, even though good investigative journalists will do it for the sake of everyone and not just because there’s something personal going on.
Apple Cider Vinegar is a timely and important series to watch as there are many lessons to learn about following social media influencers. Check out the entire series on Netflix.
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