Kaitlyn Dever is so good in Netflix’s buzzy new drama Apple Cider Vinegar — the streamer’s #3 series in the US today, about a shocking real-life wellness scam — that I thought the Australian accent she adopted for her character might actually be real.
In writer Samantha Strauss’ new series, about two young women who set out to cure their life-threatening illnesses through health and wellness, Dever plays Belle Gibson — an Australian wellness influencer who manages to convince loads of people that she cured her (fake) terminal brain cancer with natural remedies, a claim that makes her a fortune along the way. It’s the latest jaw-dropping, real-life scandal that Netflix has turned into an infuriating, gripping, and must-watch series. And I still can’t believe all of this really happened.
“The show really does an amazing job at shedding light on the confusion that surrounds the medical world and the wellness industry — and also human behavior and why we lie,” Dever said in a promotional interview with the streaming giant about the six-episode Apple Cider Vinegar. “It does have very high stakes and feels very life and death.”
The series dives headfirst into the rise and fall of Gibson, but Apple Cider Vinegar isn’t just about one woman’s deception — it’s also a sharp critique of social media’s obsession with miracle cures as well as the dangerous power of influencers. It explores the allure of wellness culture, the rise and power of Instagram, and the peak girlboss era of startup culture.
It’s also extremely binge-worthy, packed with tension, and filled with moments that might leave you yelling at your screen.
Dever is very much the heart of the series, and here she delivers what might be her best performance yet. She plays Belle with the perfect balance of deception and charm, making it easy to see how people fell for her lies while also hinting at the cracks beneath the surface. One moment, she’s an inspiring guru essentially selling hope in a jar — and the next, she’s unraveling under the weight of her own con.
It’s a performance that feels chillingly authentic, making you question every smile, every tear, and every Instagram-worthy health tip. And on a related note, props to whoever was responsible for the music choices in the series. Hammering home what viewers are in store for, the creepy strains of Britney Spears’ Toxic starts playing in the very first episode — a warning label, of sorts. Towards the end, the final episode closes out with Olivia Rodrigo’s Vampire, a reminder about the blood-sucking monsters that hide in plain sight among us.
