Tyra Banks is suing Netflix Over that America’s Next Top Model Documentary!
according to PeopleThe supermodel on Saturday filed a lawsuit against the streamer for defamation and editing her interview to support a false story. Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model! Wow! Court documents state:
“Tyra Banks participated in the Netflix documentary series America’s Next Top Model (‘ANTM’) because she believed the audience deserved a candid conversation about the show’s legacy – its successes and its shortcomings. There are certain aspects of the show for which Ms. Banks takes accountability and she wanted ANTM viewers to hear directly from her. Going into her interview, Ms. Banks did not limit the ANTM topics the interviewer could ask about. During the three-and-a-half-hour interview, Ms. Banks answered questions about the show’s groundbreaking history, including criticism of decisions she would make differently today.”
Connected: ANTM Alum breaks down in tears as she details alleged sexual assault and strangulation incident by Kanye West
Tyra claimed that fans were promised a documentary series based on “facts”, but what they got instead were “manufactured” drama and narratives:
“The Netflix series Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model (the ‘Netflix Series’) was sold to viewers as a ‘documentary series.’ Netflix called it ‘the definitive, must-see chronicle of America’s Next Top Model.’ Style matters. Viewers of a documentary don’t expect manufactured drama or manufactured narratives. They expect facts. Because they were promised a documentary.” That’s exactly how audiences interacted with the Netflix series.”
In the lawsuit, the host further claimed that only 16 minutes of her more than 3-hour interview was used in the documentary – but that the included clips were “taken out of context and reassembled to support a false and defamatory narrative that was different from what she actually expressed.” Tyra insisted she took accountability for some of the most controversial moments ANTMBut Netflix edited them out.
But one of the biggest issues Victoria’s Secret Taken with the Angel Project? Producers reportedly made it seem like Tyra gave the Cycle 2 contestant permission shandy sullivan The show sexually harassed and exploited her story:
“Worse, the false story that the producers crafted through selective editing, deliberate omissions, and surgical manipulation of continuous footage includes that Ms. Banks knowingly allowed a contestant to be sexually assaulted on her show, exploited that contestant’s trauma for ratings and then did not even remember it when asked. This story about Ms. Banks is a complete fabrication – which Netflix has streamed to millions of global viewers.”
Tyra pointed to two “partially true” statements Peacock is badOne of the directors and executive producers of the Netflix series – about which he had the opportunity to “go deeper into the debate” ANTM and “Share your side of the story.” Sue continued in an interview saying:
“Ms. Lushi said Ms. Banks was willing to speak, and I thought many of her answers were very honest. And that’s all really in the show.'”
To which Tyra responded in the documents that she “shared her side,” saying:
“Their answers were very honest. But the story the audience heard was the misleading story the producers chose to tell.”
Hmm…
As we mentioned, the Shandy storyline is a big issue for Tyra in Suits. You may recall that the former model claimed that while the contestants were in Italy, she was sexually assaulted by a male model who came to the contestants’ house for a drink. Shandy alleged that she had fainted during the incident, but the reality show’s production team framed it as a cheating scam because she had a boyfriend at the house rather than assaulting her.
When asked what allegedly happened reality checktyra just said Had no involvement in production Or editing the story. No apology. Nothing. However, the actress claimed in the lawsuit that she did not know that Shandy disclosed that what happened to her was sexual assault:
“The implication is devastating and deliberate: that Tyra Banks doesn’t even remember the story of the woman who was attacked on her show. But he was wrong. The full footage of Ms. Banks’s interview reveals two things that producers cut in Episode 1 and did not show the audience: Before looking upward, Ms. Banks nodded affirmatively, evasively and immediately said, ‘I remember her story.’ By hinting in the middle of the sequence and cutting out Ms. Banks’ commentary at the end, the producers ensured that viewers would only see the lie, not the truth.
Additionally, Tyra addressed claims that she shut down production during a cycle after a crew member routinely reported her ANTM A member guilty of participating in improper misconduct:
“That response would not have been hypothetical. Based on what Ms. Banks actually did during one cycle, it would have been 20, when a crew member reported directly to Ms. Banks that another regular member of the ANTM cast had engaged in a pattern of inappropriate sexual conduct during the production of ANTM. Ms. Banks immediately shared the report with other executives and made sure the issue was escalated to the network. Ms. Banks took immediate action and took the matter seriously. Following the response, production was halted. So that the entire cast and crew can undergo sexual harassment training conducted by an outside expert.
Elsewhere, he also touched on drama Miss J Alexander. Runway Diva Extraordinaire Reveals How She Suffered from stroke in 2022 This left him unable to walk in the documentary. And when he was asked if Tyra had come to meet him after his health deteriorated, he said no, but she had messaged him. Describing the allegations as “hurtful”, Tyra explained in the lawsuit that she could not visit Miss J because she was in Australia:
“Had the producers informed Ms. Banks that part of the story in the Netflix series would have included Ms. J saying that Ms. Banks never met her in the hospital, Ms. Banks would have explained that she had been living in Australia for 2 1/2 years.”
He didn’t even get a chance to show the unanswered texts he sent Miss Jay and the text chains with other crew members trying to find her after the stroke:
“She would have shown how hard she tried to personally contact Miss J when she initially heard the news of Ms. J’s stroke. And she would have shown the text message that came from Miss J’s family member, who eventually texted back months later and apologized for not responding to Ms. Banks’s texts and numerous calls as she was focused on getting her better.”
According to Tyra, she eventually got in touch with Miss J, and they remained in touch for three years, until just before the documentary was released:
“Ms. Banks would report that after that contact, she and Miss Jay spent three years communicating. They spoke live on the phone at least once. They exchanged voice notes, numerous photos, and video messages. They texted several times. As recently as Christmas Day 2025, Ms. Banks and Miss Jay exchanged holiday messages and he updated Ms. Banks about his improved health. He replied, ‘Yes, what. Can we talk this week?’ He never talked. Just a few weeks later, the Netflix series streamed to audiences around the world. Then, producers deprived viewers of the truth by withholding information from Ms. Banks about what others had said in her Netflix interviews and not giving her the opportunity to respond. There are many other such examples.”
Now Tyra is seeking damages “including loss of future business opportunities, loss of business income, other compounded damages to be shown at trial” following her “false and defamatory” portrayal in the documentary. She claims to be suffering “significant mental anguish” due to Netflix’s alleged actions and wants a jury trial to determine “fair” compensation for her participation in the series.
At this time, Netflix has not responded to Tyra’s allegations in the lawsuit. Perezius readers, what are your reactions? Sound off in the comments below)!
(via image) Netflix/Youtube)
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