Who are Fiona and Hunter Cross from Apple Cider Vinegar based on? Explained

A new six-part docuseries, Apple Cider Vinegar, has been added to Netflix. This docuseries is inspired by the true story of an acquisitive young influencer and businesswoman, Belle Gibson.

Gibson deceived the world through her social media notoriety for followers and fame. She made everyone believe she was diagnosed with brain cancer and recovered from it by eating an organic, healthy diet. However, Belle Gibson never had cancer, and she admitted it in an interview with Women’s Weekly in 2015. Two years later, she was charged a fine of $410k by the Australian Federal Court for faking cancer and misguiding netizens.

The characters of Fiona and Hunter Cross in Apple Cider Vinegar are based on real-life Penne and Joshua Schwarz, who were Belle Gibson’s victims. Belle promised to help the Cross family with funding through her social media for Hunter’s operation but instead used Hunter as a pawn to gain more followers and fame.

---

Fiona and Hunter Cross’s characters are inspired by Penne and Joshua Schwarz

In Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar, the characters of Fiona and Hunter Cross are inspired by real-life Penne and the late Joshua Schwarz. The real-life story of Joshua is quite different from the character of Hunter in Apple Cider Vinegar. Joshua Schwarz was battling glioblastoma, a malignant brain tumor, at five.

The family was in financial trouble and needed money for Joshua’s therapy. Penne was introduced to Belle Gibson over social media by a common family friend. Soon, Gibson began publishing articles and posts about Joshua in 2013 to raise funds for his medical treatment, but she did not inform the family about the fundraising.

Gibson stated that she could connect to his story because she had been diagnosed with the same type of brain cancer. She said she would donate the profits from sales through her wellness app to his treatment.

Penne organized a fundraising event for Joshua in 2014, in which Belle Gibson claimed to have handed Penne all the donations she received in cash. Penne testified to her statement in court, stating that she had no idea about the funding for her son’s treatment and did not receive any money from Belle Gibson.

Joshua Schwarz then passed away in 2017 at the age of eight due to a brain bleed.

---

Fiona and Hunter’s character described in Apple Cider Vinegar

In Apple Cider Vinegar, Edwina Wren stars as Fiona Cross, and Christian Fordham stars as Hunter Cross. Fiona is a caring and deeply invested mother of eight-year-old Hunter, who is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Their story highlights the financial and emotional struggles when seeking treatment for their son’s condition.

Belle Gibson met Fiona outside the hospital in Melbourne by coincidence. After hearing the story about Hunter, she offered to help raise funds via her social media for Hunter’s treatment. She even claimed that she would donate the money from the sales she would make through the wellness app. However, as the story unfolds, Fiona learns that Belle never raised funds for her son’s treatment and just used him to grow her followers on Instagram.

The emotional weight of the situation made Fiona take the most painful decision, which was stopping Hunter’s treatment.

---

Apple Cider Vinegar is now streaming on Netflix.