What to Know
If you watched Reality Check, the documentary about what went on behind the scenes of America’s Next Top Model, there’s a good chance that you’re viewing the reality TV show in a totally different way. Even though Tyra Banks herself participated in the docuseries, she’s now suing Netflix for defamation, and it’s only making former ANTM constants even more disgusted by her.
The news of Tyra’s lawsuit broke over the weekend.
On June 13, multiple outlets including Variety reported that Tyra had filed a lawsuit against Netflix, accusing the streamer of false light, defamation by implication, breach of contract and false endorsement.
In the court documents, Tyra pointed out that only “about 16 minutes” of her three and a half hour sit down interview ended up making it into the documentary, where it was then “reassembled to support a false and defamatory narrative unrelated to what she actually expressed.”
In particular, her lawyers claimed that even though the documentary made it appear that Tyra had forgotten constant Shandi Sullivan’s sexual assault, though she claims in the actual interview, Tyra said that she did remember.
“That narrative about Ms. Banks is a complete fabrication—one that Netflix streamed to a global audience of millions,” her lawyers stated.
Former contestant Jeana Turner called the lawsuit “selfish.”
While speaking to Us Weekly, the season 24 contestant called Tyra’s lawsuit a “selfish, money-hungry thing.”
“It’s also extremely ironic of her to be suing them for defamation when that is what all of the girls who have been speaking out about America’s Next Top Model have been trying to point out is that we have been defamed, our lives were affected, our careers were affected — ultimately, it was defamation,” she said. ““It’s just ironic to me that she can complain about being edited falsely. It just seems like a slap in the face. Like, ‘You guys can’t do it, but watch me.’ It’s very grimy to me.”
Jeana has a point here — Tyra got to reap the benefits of creative, reality TV editing on ANTM, but now that it’s allegedly happening to her, suddenly, it’s not okay?
Adrianne Curry, the first ever ANTM winner, also spoke out.
Adrianne, who has been outspoken about ANTM (and the documentary) after becoming the series’ first winner, shared a video reacting to Tyra’s lawsuit on Instagram, writing in the caption, “Tyra doesn’t like being ‘edited.’ LOL. Welcome to the party, pal.”
“I read that Tyra Banks is suing Netflix because she didn’t like being edited,” she said in the video, laughing.
If Tyra was expecting sympathy, she probably isn’t going to get much from the women who have competed on her show. Still, it’s going to be interesting to see the way her lawsuit shakes out.
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