Apple Cider Vinegar: Belle Gibson has not been paid for this Fanfare

February 18, 2025 5:09 PM - All Seasons

Inspired by a true story based on a lie - The story of Australian wellness guru/energy vampire Belle Gibson who had a large social media following where she pretended to be suffering from cancer but keeping the disease under control using self-care therapies. Her app, The Whole Pantry, was even considered for inclusion as an Apple Watch native app in 2014.

I started this fanfare to celebrate American actor Kaitlyn Deaver's Australian accent. Impeccable. Best in the accent business. Everybody says so.

The show itself was full of excellently presented cringe tinged with sadness that real people suffered directly due to Gibson's lies and those who believed and backed her are still enduring the consequences.

posted by Thella (10 comments total)

This was so interesting and sad. Also sad that then person with actual cancer who did try to self treat ended up dying herself from cancer. I thought the acting was superb throughout. Even more impressed with Kaitlyn Deaver since the last time I saw her was in Dopesick which was a much different character.
posted by LizBoBiz at 1:29 AM on February 19 [2 favorites]

I thought Deaver was superb as Marie in Unbelievable and she nailed Gibson in this series. She could grow to out-Streep Meryl.

Forgot to add to the OP:
ON Netflix, here's a trailer.
posted by Thella at 1:59 AM on February 19 [1 favorite]

Have been on the fence about watching this, as it hits so many things that are upsetting/triggering to me but I am also very interested. I know nothing about the story, had never heard of it before this movie popped up for me.
I guess what I need to know is ... if this can be answered without an excessive degree of spoilers (out of courtesy for others, spoil me privately if you like, I soften prefer knowing what's going to happen in a movie) ... is there a comeuppance of some sort? Does she pay her just desserts?
posted by fennario at 7:08 AM on February 19 [1 favorite]

Maintenance Phase did an episode on her if you're interested in more.
posted by drossdragon at 11:39 AM on February 19 [5 favorites]

Does she pay her just desserts?
It's a work in progress...
posted by Thella at 12:53 PM on February 19 [2 favorites]

Thanks, Thella. A work in progress is a start/hope.
posted by fennario at 1:09 PM on February 19

Gibson only once ever really turned up on the Blue, in 2015, and what's interesting (aside from the number of commenters who've since buttoned) is how much pushback there was among MeFites, the post being critical of Gibson and "wellness" in general.

Things have certainly changed since, in this post Covid/RFK jr age. That Maintenance Phase episode is a good rundown of the Gibson story, and all the shittiness associated with her.
posted by 2N2222 at 5:32 PM on February 19 [1 favorite]

Loved Deaver in Booksmart; I'll have to check this out this weekend.
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:47 PM on February 19 [1 favorite]

She was great in Justified, may have to check this out soon.

Psst guys it's Dever and not Deaver
posted by axiom at 9:29 PM on February 24 [1 favorite]

I devoured this series; it was very much my thing. Kaitlyn Dever was great. The Australian accent thing was funny, since I recognized her in the first episode but immediately said "no that can't be her, Americans never do Australian accents." (It has long been my contention that Australian actors are the best in the accent game, at least for the ones who make it to Hollywood. Soooo much better than basically every British actor, and better than Americans toeing into an unfamiliar regional accent, too.)

Also, I don't want to overstate pop culture impact, but it feels like the sort of project that can have a positive effect on the world. The show takes a considerate approach -- it very sincerely depicts people feeling alienated by doctors and painful treatment plans with nebulous and questionable improvement -- but it is unflinching about the damage that results from people spreading quack health advice to serious medical conditions. The only part I would've altered was the social media "comeuppance" in the final episode. I guess the show's take is that Gibson's interest in lying about herself and her empire-building were both based on social media, so it made sense to show a mob showing up to tear her down. In practice, it was a little...cringe? I don't know, I've reached the point where I want every scammer story to end with the scammer being terrified of going to jail.
posted by grandiloquiet at 8:54 AM on March 3