In a stunning admission, Tyra Banks confesses that her iconic reality show, America’s Next Top Model, “went too far” in a new Netflix docuseries that exposes the show’s ‘f—ed up’ scandals and the fallout between its creators and contestants.
The fractured family of America’s Next Top Model is finally bringing their truth to the runway in fierce—and ferocious—fashion. In Entertainment Weekly‘s exclusive first look at Netflix’s bombshell docuseries, Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, Banks and a host of former judges and contestants sit for shocking interviews that peel back the layers on the fan-favorite modeling competition’s most controversial moments.
The docuseries comes as the show’s legacy is being fiercely re-evaluated in the age of social media, with fans reassessing everything from its racially charged photo shoots to the judges’ harsh critiques. For years, Banks has addressed these concerns, but in the new trailer, the supermodel offers a candid, new admission: “I knew I went too far.”
The docuseries, which debuts all three episodes on February 16th, features a reunion of sorts with key figures from the show’s history. Former judges like Nigel Barker, Jay Manuel, and Miss J. Alexander appear, alongside contestants including Whitney Thompson (cycle 10 winner), Danielle Evans (cycle 6 winner), and Giselle Samson (cycle 1).
While some speak to the show’s groundbreaking impact—Thompson credits Banks for “opening the door” for plus-size models like herself—the tone quickly shifts to the darker side of production. Producer Ken Mok admits, “There was a moment I realized, ‘Oh my God, I think we’ve built a monster.'” This monster included challenges that are now widely seen as problematic, most notably the photo shoots that had contestants “switching ethnicities,” a heavily criticized initiative that occurred on cycle 4 and cycle 13.
Jay Manuel, the show’s photo shoot director, directly addresses the controversy in the trailer, stating, “I realized Tyra would do anything for the success of her show.” Miss J. Alexander reacts with disbelief, exclaiming, “Baby girl, baby girl!” This push for success also led to major behind-the-scenes drama. Manuel, Miss J, and Barker were all dismissed from the show following the premiere of cycle 18 in 2012. Manuel reveals he felt “slapped across the face” by someone in the program’s family, a sentiment Barker echoes.
The trailer also features emotional testimonials from contestants reflecting on personal trauma. Keenyah Hill is shown crying while recalling a moment of alleged sexual harassment, a story she previously detailed with Entertainment Weekly. Meanwhile, Danielle Evans, who underwent a dental procedure on the show to address a gap in her teeth, breaks down between calling certain elements of ANTM “horrific” and “so f—ed up.”
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The docuseries arrives as Banks has been more vocal than ever about defending her legacy. At the 2025 Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards, she acknowledged saying “some dumb s—” on the show but insisted her legacy should be defined by the 24 cycles of changing the world, pointing to the show’s groundbreaking casting of models like Isis King, Tahlia Brookins, and Winnie Harlow.
However, the trailer suggests the new series will not shy away from the show’s most uncomfortable truths. Banks herself closes the preview with a chilling reflection: “It was very, very intense, but, you guys were demanding it. So, we kept pushing more and more and more.”
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The series promises to reveal “fresh insights and intimate reflections on the drama, controversy, and personalities that defined this iconic series,” according to producer Jon Adler of EverWonder Studio. Jason Beekman, a producer from Wise Child Studios, adds that it’s “a fun, fast-moving nostalgia trip that also examines real issues of gender, race, exploitation, and personal conflict.”
For fans who grew up watching the show, Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model is poised to be a definitive look at the price of fame and the complicated legacy of a television phenomenon that changed the industry forever.
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