Is Fake a True Crime Drama? You Won’t Believe the Real Story Behind It

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The Australian television series Fake, now available in the UK on ITV following its release on Paramount+ last year, features Asher Keddie (Offspring, Love My Way, Nine Perfect Strangers) as Birdie. Birdie is a magazine writer who finds herself smitten by Joe (David Wenham from The Lord of the Rings), a prosperous rancher she encounters on a dating app.

As their relationship deepens, she starts to sense that her new companion has hidden aspects – and uncovering the truth proves to be far more unsettling than she could have possibly imagined.

Birdie finds herself caught between the powerful attraction towards Joe and a gut feeling that her partner might not be as truthful as she thought.

Artist Anya Beyersdorf (of The Twelve and Apple Cider Vinegar fame) expressed that the narrative Fake embodies the sensation of being deceived, having one’s intuition shattered, and experiencing gaslighting—not just from a romantic companion, but also from the broader societal structures.

“The most remarkable thing about this story is that it’s not remarkable at all,” she added.

But is Fake based on a single true story? Read on to find out…

Is Fake based on a true story?

The movie is modeled after Stephanie Wood’s 2019 memoir, titled the same as this work, where she narrates her previous relationship with a person who was a narcissistic liar about everything.

In the same year, Wood penned for The Guardian that he was merely a dreamer, a small and insubstantial individual capable of causing immense pain.

Wood encountered “Joe” on an online dating platform, giving her the impression he was a prior architect, farmer, and real estate developer. They were together for 15 months until she found herself devastated, confined to bed with a pillow over her head, struggling to eat, sleep, or move.

Wood came across “Joe” online, who gave the impression of being an ex-architect, farmer, and real estate developer. They were in a relationship for 15 months until she was left heartbroken, bedridden with a pillow over her head, finding it difficult to eat, sleep, or move.

Look at how blissful I seemed before everything changed? Look at how I was soaking up the warmth of love? It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve smiled as widely or genuinely.

Joe frequently mentioned a property in New South Wales that he claimed was his. This topic was often the focus of their conversations, making it a significant part of their bond.

Would you prefer the study to be located next to mine or further down the corridor?” he had posed this question to me, as it was part of his plan for us to share a place, namely our new home where I, Wood, would reside with him. Additionally, he mentioned that he intends to secure the property in a trust, a move designed to keep it safe from any potential claims by his ex-wife, who I understand is a mother of two of his children, to prevent her from trying to claim the house while I am living there.

“I felt wrapped up, after many years alone, nearly home at last.”

However, the property wasn’t owned by Joe. Instead, he managed to persuade the true owner to invest a significant sum of money to acquire it. Unfortunately, this left the lawyer with an outstanding and substantial bill that remained unpaid.

Eventually, Wood ended their relationship for the sake of her mental health.

She wrote: “His frequent cancellations and inconsistent, confusing explanations left her feeling extremely anxious and unable to continue like this.

After breaking up, I found myself delving into the mystery of “Joe”. I conducted property and bankruptcy checks, and reached out to folks who were familiar with him, in an attempt to uncover more about this enigmatic figure.

Additionally, she uncovered evidence suggesting he was involved with another woman during their time together. This revelation came when she stumbled upon certain pictures on Facebook.

In one photograph, they were spotted relaxing on a balcony at a rural getaway, with Joe engrossed in a book that Wood had gifted him for his birthday.

In an article published by Sydney Morning Herald, Wood expressed that she was initially under the impression that “Joe” was an honest individual and that we had a promising future. However, it was revealed that he was homeless, financially and morally bankrupt, with a past conviction for fraud and possibly multiple other partners.

Or, more concisely: Wood wrote in Sydney Morning Herald that she thought “Joe” was trustworthy and our future seemed secure, but later found out he was destitute, dishonest, had a history of fraud, and potentially had several romantic partners.

It’s worth noting that throughout her association with “Joe”, Wood managed not to part with any of her funds, and he never made a request for them either.

“But I lost my trust in myself and the world,” she added.

How accurate is Fake?

Wood mentioned that the series follows “my story quite accurately,” but there have been certain deviations for “the sake of a more engaging and dramatic narrative.

In one instance, she draws upon a scene at the beginning where a character advises Birdie to leave the relationship. However, this incident didn’t take place in actuality.

“I wish someone had told me that,” she said.

In another scene, Birdie gives Joe a key to her apartment, which also didn’t happen.

“I had a niggling sense that to do so would not be wise,” she said.

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2025-04-27 11:35