Tyra Banks, creator and former host of America's Next Top Model, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix in Los Angeles federal court. The action names directors Daniel Sivan and Mor Loushy, along with production company EverWonder Studio, as defendants. Banks is pursuing monetary damages and seeks an injunction preventing the use of her image in connection with the docuseries' accompanying soundtrack album.
According to court filings, the Netflix production employed "selective editing, deliberate omission, and surgical manipulation of continuous footage" to construct a narrative portraying Banks in a damaging manner. Banks' legal team contends that footage showing her taking responsibility for past missteps was removed from the final cut. "The accountability Ms. Banks took ended up on the cutting room floor. It was there, but viewers were never given the opportunity to see it," her lawyers stated.
The documentary, released February 16, has reignited scrutiny of America's Next Top Model, which aired 24 seasons beginning in 2003. The series has faced mounting criticism regarding body shaming of contestants, manipulative production practices, and controversial photography assignments. Banks acknowledged in previous statements that certain ANTM episodes contained "the insensitivity of past ANTM moments" and "some really off choices."
Banks contends she was not informed beforehand about subjects she would be questioned on during filming, including allegations of sexual assault on the show. The lawsuit claims Netflix edited her responses to suggest deliberate evasion of questioning about the assault, when in fact she had not been alerted to the topic. She received access to the finished documentary only one day before its release and was never invited to participate in fact-checking or respond to allegations from other contributors.
Among those consulted on the docuseries were fellow judges from the show, including individuals Banks' legal team claims harbour personal grievances. Had Banks known about their involvement in shaping editorial decisions whilst being excluded from that process, she would have declined participation. Banks' representatives sought unedited interview footage from Netflix in March; the company and EverWonder declined the request.
Since the documentary's premiere, public reaction has been overwhelmingly negative toward Banks, with consequences extending beyond media coverage. Her ice cream business, SMiZE & DREAM, located in Sydney, Australia, has experienced review bombing on Google. Banks' lawyers emphasise that her genuine reflections on the show's legacy are now overshadowed by an accusation she was denied the opportunity to address, and that Netflix refused to resolve the dispute directly.
