Netflix has reportedly requested a court to dismiss supermodel Tyra Banks’ lawsuit regarding her portrayal in a recent documentary centered on “America’s Next Top Model.”
The streaming service submitted documents on Friday urging a judge to reject Banks’ defamation claim, which she filed in June, concerning “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model,” according to reports.
A representative from Netflix stated on Saturday that directors Daniel Sivan and Mo Rousey are “respected documentarians” who have thoroughly interviewed individuals involved in “America’s Next Top Model.”
“Tyra Banks was given the opportunity to share her experiences openly, and the producers presented her viewpoint alongside those of all other contributors in the documentary,” the statement added.
“We stand by ‘Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model’ and will actively defend it.”
Banks, 52, took legal action against the streamer in federal court in California earlier this summer, claiming she was misled into participating in the documentary, pointing out specific elements that were omitted and others that were included.
In her lawsuit, Banks is seeking a jury trial to establish what she believes is an appropriate amount of damages.
Reportedly, court documents state that the model engaged in an extensive interview process as she “felt that viewers should have the chance to discuss the show’s legacy, including its successes and shortcomings.”
“There are elements of the show for which Ms. Banks is accountable, and she wanted ANTM viewers to hear directly from her,” the documents elaborated.
The lawsuit contends that Banks “did not restrict the subjects of ANTM that she could be questioned about” and during a three-and-a-half-hour interview, she discussed the groundbreaking history of the show, touching on criticisms regarding its evolution.
However, she claimed that only 16 minutes of footage—described as “decontextualized and reconstructed to support a false narrative unrelated to her actual comments”—made it into the final version of the documentary.
The complaint argues the documentary was presented to viewers as a “documentary series,” asserting that “those who watch documentaries do not expect contrived drama or fabricated narratives.”
“They anticipate factual content,” the complaint states. “That was precisely how viewers engaged with the Netflix series, as they were promised a documentary.”
Banks’ attorneys, Tom and Claire Locke, highlighted in a statement that the case “raises the fundamental question of whether viewers can rely on a documentary presented as fact to accurately depict what occurred and what individuals really said.” They added, “Netflix’s response only underscores the issue.”
“We emphasize that the reality show was edited to justify the documentary’s editing,” their statement continued. “No one contests that the documentary underwent editing. The issue is whether those edits substantially altered the facts. This isn’t to imply that Tyra is ‘unhappy’ with the edits or desires creative control. The core question is whether viewers received an accurate representation of her words and the facts.”
The lawyers also challenged Netflix to release the entirety of Banks’ interview.
“Netflix is withholding Tyra’s complete, unedited interview,” they said. “If Netflix believes in the documentary’s accuracy, they should make the full interview public and let viewers assess it themselves. We want the audience to compare what Tyra actually stated with what Netflix chose to broadcast. Facts are facts, and here they seem to be recorded and concealed by Netflix.”
During the documentary, the model poignantly discussed several aspects of the show that have been criticized since its conclusion in 2018 after 24 seasons.
In her legal action, Banks also criticized topics that were not addressed, including allegations made by former ANTM contestant Shandi Sullivan regarding her experience of sexual assault in Italy.
Footage from that season depicted Sullivan drinking with other contestants before getting into bed with a male model.
Sullivan, who was in a relationship at the time, claimed she lost consciousness during the incident, while the series framed the situation as a cheating scandal.
In a confessional segment, Banks acknowledged awareness of Sullivan’s claims but stated she had no role in the show’s editing or production decisions.
“Through selective editing, intentional omissions, and precise manipulation of footage sequences, the narrative portrayed by producers falsely suggested that Ms. Banks allowed a cast member to be sexually assaulted on her show, exploited that cast member’s trauma for ratings, and then failed to remember it when questioned,” the lawsuit reads.
Furthermore, Banks criticized claims that production had been halted following reports of a “pattern” of inappropriate behavior among cast members.
“That response wouldn’t have been hypothetical,” the legal document stated. “After a staff member directly informed Ms. Banks that another regular cast member engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct during production, Ms. Banks would have been just 20 years old according to her actions during that cycle.”
“Ms. Banks promptly communicated the report to other executives and ensured the matter was escalated to the network,” the suit claimed. “She took immediate action and made certain that all cast and crew underwent sexual harassment training with external experts.”
