Tyra Banks has filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix and the directors of the docuseries Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, alleging that producers selectively edited her interview to create a false narrative. Banks claims the series falsely suggests she ignored an alleged sexual assault on the show and failed to take accountability.
In the lawsuit, Tyra Banks—who created and hosted “America’s Next Top Model”—states that she participated in a 3½-hour interview during which she took responsibility for some of the show’s controversial decisions. However, according to the suit, her interview was edited down to just 16 minutes and manipulated “to support a false and defamatory narrative unrelated to what she actually expressed.”
Tyra Banks is seeking damages in her lawsuit against Netflix, directors Daniel Sivan and Mor Loushy, and EverWonder Studio. She is also seeking an injunction to prevent the use of her image in connection with the docuseries’ soundtrack, which has been released as an album.
“America’s Next Top Model,” the highly successful global reality television franchise, launched in 2003 and ran for 24 seasons. In recent years, the show has faced critical reevaluation amid accusations of body shaming, manipulation of contestants, and problematic photoshoots. Tyra Banks has previously addressed these criticisms, acknowledging “the insensitivity of past ANTM moments” and admitting to “some really off choices.”
