Tyra Banks has filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix and the filmmakers of the documentary series "Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model," claiming that the producers manipulated her interviews to create a false narrative.
According to the lawsuit filed Saturday in federal court in Los Angeles, the model and creator of “America’s Next Top Model” was interviewed for three and a half hours, during which she took responsibility for some of the show’s controversial decisions. However, only 16 minutes of that interview were used, which she says were edited to support a false and defamatory story that did not reflect what she had actually said.
"The parts where Ms. Banks took responsibility for her actions ended up in the cut montage. They existed, but the public was never given the opportunity to see them," her lawyers write.
Banks is seeking damages from Netflix, directors Daniel Sivan and Mor Loushy, and studio EverWonder. She is also asking that her image be removed from promotional materials and the music album associated with the documentary.
America's Next Top Model debuted in 2003 and ran for 24 seasons. In recent years, it has been criticized for mocking contestants for their appearance, manipulating contestants, and some photo shoots that have been deemed problematic. Banks herself has previously admitted that some moments on the show lacked sensitivity and that bad choices were made.
However, the lawsuit alleges that the Netflix documentary used selective editing, intentional removal of interview segments, and manipulation of footage to create the impression that Banks allowed a contestant to experience a sexual assault during the show, used her trauma to boost viewership, and then had no memory of the incident when asked about it.
According to the court document, the series was edited to make it appear as if Banks knew she was being asked about a sexual assault and was deliberately trying to avoid the subject. Her lawyers insist she was never asked about the incident during the interview.
They add that Banks was not allowed to see the documentary until the day before its release, on February 16. Also, according to her, no one contacted her to verify the facts after the interview and she was not given the opportunity to respond to accusations raised by other people who participated in the documentary.
The lawsuit also alleges that several former members of the program's jury served as advisors to the documentary, including one person who, according to Banks' lawyers, holds a grudge against her.
"If Ms. Banks had known that these individuals had such a significant role in the production of the documentary, while she was denied a similar role, this would have been a wake-up call. She would have realized that a trap was being prepared and would not have participated," the lawsuit states.
Her lawyers requested access to the full interview material in March, but the request was denied by Netflix and the production studio.
According to the lawsuit, the public backlash following the documentary's release has been fierce and has been directed primarily at Banks. Even her ice cream shop in Sydney, Australia, has faced a wave of negative reviews online.
“Any further discussion about the show’s legacy has been overshadowed by an allegation to which she was not given the opportunity to respond,” the lawyers wrote. “This lawsuit is her response, especially since efforts to resolve the matter directly with Netflix and the producers were rejected.”
