Inside Apple Cider Vinegar star Kaitlyn Dever's life off screen including devastating loss to cancer
Inside Apple Cider Vinegar star Kaitlyn Dever's life off screen including devastating loss to cancer
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Kaitlyn Dever has returned to the small screen in Netflix's new true-story thriller Inside Apple Cider Vinegar. The limited series chronicles the rise and fall of wellness influencer Belle Gibson, whose health scam took the internet by storm in the early 2010s. Gibson, who is now a convicted scammer, built a devoted following after claiming that she had beaten cancer using natural remedies and a healthy diet.
With Dever stepping into the shoes of the fraudulent health guru, here is a look at her life on and off-screen. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, in December 1996, Dever enrolled in acting school at age five and continued in the performing arts from then on. Although she already had an interest in the field at a young age, it was Toni Collette's performance in the Sixth Sense that made her want to pursue acting.
She stepped into the industry in 2009, starring in the family drama An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong. Following her first role, Dever had various on-screen appearances, including in an episode of Modern Family, before hitting the big screen in 2011. The 28-year-old star bagged her first silver screen credit in the raunchy comedy Bad Teacher, in which she featured alongside Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel and Justin Timberlake.
She has since built a stacked resume, with Variety naming her as one of the publication's 'Actors To Watch' back in 2014. While her career has gone from strength to strength, the Netflix star has previously opened up about her personal heartbreaks. The American actress was left devastated by her mother Kathy's death in 2024, after a 14-year battle with breast cancer. Following the family loss, she shared 10 images on Instagram with a heartfelt tribute to her 'mama.'.
"My mama. My life. My everything. I don't even have the words," she said in the post. "I miss your smile, your sense of humour, your hugs, your kisses, getting to hold your hand, more than anything in the world. You made everything better. my sweetest, beautiful girl. My best friend. Oh how much I love you. What a gift it is to love you. I love you forever and ever, Mom," Dever concluded. The TV star's family has since set up a fundraising page in honour of her mother, which allows contributors to donate money for breast cancer research.
The fundraising site explains that Kathy's battle was 'long' and 'unprecedented.'. She had been diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer at 39 years old and fought the disease until she was 53. Despite her tragic battle, the donation page details that she "never spoke of death, only life, looking for the next experience or the next vacation.". Apple Cider Vinegar is not Dever's first stint on Netflix; she previously starred in the streamer's hit crime drama, Unbelievable.
The 2019 limited series boasts a near-perfect 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and starred Dever alongside one of her inspirations, Toni Collette. Her most recognised character comes from Olivia Wilde's Booksmart, which saw the actress as Amy Antsler, an overachieving student trying to cram four years of missed high school experiences into one night. Other notable features from Dever include the 2018 biographical drama Beautiful Boy, in which she appeared alongside Timothee Chalamet and Steve Carell. She also featured in Hulu's Emmy Award-winning series Dopesick.
