A subtle change made in Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar could see the streamer avoiding a repeat of the controversy that followed the release of Baby Reindeer.
Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar is inspired by the true story of Belle Gibson, a cancer fraudster who pretended to have a terminal illness whilst pedaling healthy recipes she claimed could combat the deadly disease.
Gibson was eventually ordered by an Australian court to pay over £200,000 due to her lies about donating money from a vastly successful app she created.
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Per a legal expert, however, Netflix have potentially avoided the possibility of themselves paying out a huge sum to Gibson.
Throughout the marketing of Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix have consistently referred to the series as a ‘true-ish’ story.
This is despite the fact that the series stars Kaitlyn Dever as Gibson herself and has moments, such as her interview with 60 Minutes Australia, where she is doing near exact copies of real events.
This may be, apparently, due to the controversy surrounding Baby Reindeer.
LADbible exclusively spoke to Steve Kuncewicz, a legal expert and partner at Glaisyers Solicitors, who told us about why they may have gone with the ‘true-ish’ tag.
Kuncewicz said when asked if this was done to offer legal protection: “Well [calling it a 'true-ish story] is going to help if you are saying something is a true story, then obviously you say that everything that took place in it is true.
“One of the big arguments around the Baby Reindeer case was the fact that [Fiona Harvey, who Martha in Baby Reindeer is reported to be based on] she objected to what was in the show because it showed her being convicted of criminal offense. She said she never was.
“So it leaves you absolutely no wriggle room.”
Fiona Harvey filed a £132 million lawsuit against Netflix after claiming it had defamed her and wrongly called the show a ‘true story’.
Regarding Netflix’s decision to call it a ‘true-ish story’, Kuncewicz said: “[Netflix] I would imagine, have been a little bit burnt, because the Baby Reindeer case can go to trial in the United States, they've been sued for defamation in the States and pursued for a very large amount of money.
“So you would have thought that now they're going to be a bit more rigorous about claims like this, claims that it is a true story or a true-ish story.
He went on to clarify the decision to call it a ‘true-ish story’ wouldn’t interfere with marketing before adding: “What does do is put a little bit of legal blue water between them saying it is a true story and it clearly being at least mostly non-fictional.
“So what they're trying to do is keep credibility by saying that, yes, it's based on true events, but also make it clear that they are maybe making leaps in storytelling logic.”
Yahoo! have also confirmed that, according to a source close to Belle Gibson, she was not consulted or contacted about the story.
Apple Cider Vinegar is available on Netflix now. Netflix did not respond to a request for comment.
Topics: Netflix, Baby Reindeer, True Crime, TV and Film, TV
Michael Slavin