Tyra Banks is reportedly suing Netflix for defamation after appearing in the streamer’s documentary series Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model. According to reports, Banks filed the lawsuit on Saturday, June 13, claiming Netflix used only 16 minutes of her more than three-hour interview and edited the material in a way that created a false and defamatory portrayal of her. She is also reportedly asking for a jury trial to decide damages.
The lawsuit says Banks agreed to take part in the documentary because she believed viewers deserved an honest discussion about the legacy of America’s Next Top Model, including both its achievements and its flaws. The filing reportedly states that Banks accepts responsibility for some aspects of the show and wanted to speak directly to viewers about those issues. Banks also allegedly points to comments made by one of the documentary’s directors and executive producers, Mar Loushy, who said she would have a chance to go deeply into the debates around ANTM and tell her side of the story. Another director, Kay Wicker, later told TheGrio that the documentary would have gone forward whether Banks participated or not.
The documentary, which premiered on Netflix in February, revisited the cultural impact and controversies surrounding America’s Next Top Model. One of the most discussed segments focused on cycle 2 contestant Shandi Sullivan, who described a traumatic incident in Italy involving male models and said production framed it as cheating rather than sexual assault. Sullivan said she blacked out during the encounter and later believed the show’s handling of the situation was misleading. In the documentary, Banks said she had no involvement in producing or editing the storyline.
News of the reported lawsuit quickly sparked reactions online, with many social media users questioning why Banks would sue after agreeing to appear in the project. Commenters suggested she may have expected viewers to side with her or argued that her participation made the legal move surprising. Others joked that she appeared to be seeking compensation after already taking part in the documentary.
The legal action adds another chapter to the long-running public debate over America’s Next Top Model and its treatment of contestants, production ethics, and the way reality television shapes public perception. For years, the series has faced criticism over alleged manipulation, harsh criticism of contestants, and controversial storylines that resurfaced again after the Netflix docuseries was released. Banks’ lawsuit now shifts attention back to how the documentary was assembled and whether her interview was presented in a misleading context.
As the case moves forward, it could raise broader questions about documentary editing, consent, and the line between commentary and defamation. For now, the report has reignited conversations about ANTM, Tyra Banks’ role in the show’s legacy, and the challenges of revisiting controversial reality TV history through a modern lens.
