What did The Liver King do? All about the controversial figure ahead of Untold on Netflix
Netflix's new documentary, Untold: The Liver King, features the story of influencer Brian Johnson, who is better known as Liver King. Untold documents Johnson's meteoric rise to fame on social media and the promotion of his "ancestral lifestyle," which consisted of eating raw meat, particularly organs like liver, kidneys, and testicles. However his lifestyle soon attracted criticism and suspicion and it was revealed that he was lying to his followers about his diet regime. It turned out that Johnson was using steroids. Although he initially denied these claims, he later admitted to it.
The documentary delves into the details of Brian’s lifestyle and how he captured the attention of social media with his controversial ways. As per Tudum, it also explores fundamental questions regarding social media’s legitimacy and how much one should believe in what one sees online. Untold premieres on Netflix tomorrow, May 13, 2025.
Why did the Liver King become famous?
Brian Johnson began his social media journey in 2016. He soon rose to fame and came to be known as 'Liver King' for his controversial "ancestral lifestyle" diet, which included eating raw liver. He also went on to create his own brand of liver pills, called Ancestral Supplements.
The item became extremely popular, and it led to Johnson's rise to fame exponentially in 2021. He had convinced social media that his ancestral lifestyle was healthy and a natural way to achieve healthy living.
Did the Liver King admit to using steroids?
While the Liver King's fame grew, so did criticisms around his lifestyle. Medical professionals claimed that Johnson's physique was not just due to his lifestyle but was a result of taking steroids. Moreover, experts also criticised his raw meat diet, calling it dangerous, and stated that it could lead to high cholesterol, heart disease, and digestive issues.
Despite the claims that Johnson regularly used steroids, he maintained in his interviews that he never took any and that his physique was a result of his ancestral lifestyle. However, these claims were soon revealed to be true when, in November 2022, it came to light through leaked emails that Johnson was indeed using steroids.
He was reportedly spending $11,000 (£8,000) per month on performance-enhancing drugs, which included anabolic steroids and human growth hormones. Johnson's reputation and fame took a big hit, and he eventually made a public apology stating that he lied and misled his followers on social media.
Was the Liver King ever arrested? Where is he now?
This sudden revelation led to a huge scandal, and his outraged fanbase did not take Johnson's lies lightly. Some of his followers even went so far as to file a $25 million (£19 million) lawsuit against him, accusing him of fraud and deception. Although the case against Johnson was dropped and he was never arrested for his deception, Johnson's reputation was damaged beyond repair.
Following this controversy, he gave up his raw meat diet and adopted a healthier and more reasonable diet plan of eating fruits and vegetables that he grows himself. Despite the huge hit that his reputation took, Johnson continued his social media career. He still shares videos on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok and has 1.21 million fans on YouTube, 2.9 million followers on Instagram, and 6.1 million fans on TikTok.
About Untold: The Liver King
The Netflix documentary explores the full story of Brian Johnson and how he became a persona on social media and built his own empire with an extremely controversial way of life.
Untold is executive produced by Gabe Turner, Sheldon Lazarus, James Goldston, Richard Thompson, Ben Silverman, Howard Owens, Chapman Way, and Maclain Way, and produced by Bitachon 365 and Candle True Stories. The Netflix documentary features exclusive interviews with Johnson himself, his family, and his business partners, and brings to viewers the wild story of Johnson.
Catch Untold: The Liver King on Netflix on May 13, 2025.
