For years, speculation has swirled about what really went on behind the scenes between Tyra Banks and America’s Next Top Model. Created by the supermodel, the hit competition series aired from 2003 to 2018 and became one of television’s most successful reality shows. Despite its popularity, the program was also surrounded by controversy, including claims that Banks was challenging to work with.
Netflix recently released Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, a documentary featuring Banks, former ANTM judges, and several past contestants who recounted difficult experiences from their time on the show.
While Banks took part in the project, it appears she was unhappy with the finished documentary. As a result, the media mogul is now reportedly taking legal action against the streaming giant.
According to PEOPLE, court documents show that Tyra Banks is seeking a jury trial and financial damages, arguing that the documentary relied on “manufactured drama and constructed narratives” that portrayed her unfairly. The filing reportedly claims her comments were taken out of context and edited in a way that created a misleading and defamatory portrayal.
“Tyra Banks participated in the Netflix documentary series America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) because she believed viewers deserved a candid conversation about the show’s legacy — its successes and its shortcomings,” the lawsuit states. “There are aspects of the show for which Ms. Banks takes accountability, and she wanted ANTM viewers to hear that from her directly.”
The legal complaint further alleges that the documentary was “stripped of context and reassembled to support a false and defamatory narrative unrelated to what she actually expressed.”
Meanwhile, Adrienne Curry, the winner of the show’s inaugural season, reacted to the lawsuit on Instagram with a sarcastic response.
“I read that Tyra Banks is suing Netflix because she didn’t like being edited,” Curry said before laughing. “B*tch, for real girl?… Welcome to the party, pal.”
Banks is reportedly asking a jury to determine what she considers appropriate compensation for the alleged harm caused by the documentary.
