Tyra Banks is suing Netflix over her portrayal in the docuseries 'Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model,' which aired in February 2026. The lawsuit, obtained by BuzzFeed, names Netflix, Netflix Music, 89 Blocks Holdings, EverWonder Studio, and directors Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan, citing false light, defamation, breach of contract, and false endorsement.
Allegations of Misrepresentation
The lawsuit alleges that only 16 minutes of a three-and-a-half-hour interview Banks gave were used, creating a false narrative. Banks claims the documentary implied she did not remember contestant Shandi Sullivan's story of sexual assault, when in fact she had acknowledged it. The suit states that producers cut her nod and statement 'I do remember her story,' replacing it with a pause and cut to black.
Banks' Accountability Edited Out
Banks participated believing viewers deserved a candid conversation about the show's legacy, including its shortcomings. However, the lawsuit argues that the accountability she took was left on the cutting-room floor. The documentary instead presented a fabricated version, according to the suit, which claims Banks is not trying to avoid responsibility but to correct the record.
The lawsuit emphasizes that Banks came prepared to engage with ANTM's legacy for three and a half hours, but viewers were misled into thinking she had not taken accountability. The producers erased much of that record and replaced it with a fabricated one, the suit concludes.
