Tyra Banks Says America's Next Top Model Went Too Far In New Netflix Doc

The truth behind America’s Next Top Model is about to come to light. In the new trailer for Netflix’s upcoming documentary Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model, host Tyra Banks admitted that she “went too far” on the long-running modeling competition series. “I haven't really said much,” she teases in the trailer, “but now it’s time.”

Ever since ANTM ended in 2018 after 24 seasons (or cycles, as the show called them), Banks’ series has come under scrutiny for details and challenges that haven’t aged well, including accusations of fat shaming, problematic photoshoots (one of which involved race swapping), and extreme makeovers, sometimes involving physical procedures.

“I knew I went too far,” Banks said, before explaining that she felt pressure from fans to raise the stakes. “It was very, very intense, but you guys were demanding it, so we kept pushing. More and more and more.” Several former contestants were interviewed to give their perspective, one of whom said “a line was crossed” and recalled something as “so f*cked up.”

Along with Banks, the show’s runway coach J. Alexander and former judge Nigel Barker are also featured in the documentary, the latter of whom said they “felt betrayed.” But creative director Jay Manuel had even stronger words for his former boss.

“I realized Tyra would do anything for the success of her show,” he said. “You want to talk about being slapped across the face and then slapped right back?”

What Does Tyra Think?

While Banks will give her full thoughts in the Netflix doc, which premieres on Feb. 16, she did nod to the show’s errors and internet criticism while accepting Essence’s Luminary Spotlight Award in March. During her speech, Banks spoke about her mission with ANTM in 2003, saying she “fought to bring the diversity... at a time where it didn’t exist” and faced pushback from the fashion world.

“To show different beauties at a time when the world was like, ‘What? You casting that?’” she said. “I was like, ‘Why can the girl from the trailer park become a supermodel but the girl that's chillin’ in the park in the hood can't?' And we fought, and we struggled, and we made it happen.”

However, she went on to acknowledge the mistakes she made over the show’s 15-year run. “Did we get it right? Hell no, I said some dumb sh*t,” she said. “But I refuse to have my legacy be about some stuff linked together on the internet when there were 24 cycles of changing the world.”