Former America’s Next Top Model stars are speaking out about the show, and Tyra Banks, ahead of Netflix documentary Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model. While ANTM was a major reality TV hit at the time, the show is extremely problematic in hindsight. Many former contestants have spoken out about their experiences, and about Tyra, for years. But the new Netflix documentary certainly brings more attention to those problematic aspects. Ahead of the release of Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model on Netflix, here’s what some notable ANTM alums had to say about the show, host/mentor Tyra, and the new documentary.
How did America’s Next Top Model contestants react to Netflix’s Reality Check documentary?
As we saw in the Reality Check trailer, some former ANTM contestants are participating in the documentary. Including first plus size winner Whitney Thompson, finalist Shannon Stewart, Cycle 2’s Shandi Sullivan, and Cycle 4’s Keenyah Hill. In the trailer, Whitney acknowledges that doors were open to her because of ANTM and Tyra. However, the trailer also features Keenyah and Shandi getting emotional as they look back on filming the show.
However, many other contestants did not to participate. In the weeks following the trailer’s release, many ANTM fans wondered if their favorite contestants would appear. And plenty of the former stars were asked for their opinions on social media. Here are the responses from past contestants, who are sharing their sides with or without the Netflix docuseries.
First ANTM winner Adrianne Curry criticized the “woke” Netflix documentary
The very first ANTM winner Adrianne Curry has criticized Tyra over the years. But don’t expect to see her appear in the Netflix docuseries. When the trailer came out, Adrianne took to X to voice her opinions. The former model wrote, “I think people psychoanalyzing [ANTM] over 20 years later with a woke lens is absurd.” She continued, “I don’t trust people to not manipulate things I say for TV, so I decline everything.”
She elaborated later on Instagram, writing, “I say no to all of these. I have 0 trust in any producers, no desire to be really public in this day and age … and am hard retired from Hollywood.”
ANTM winner Lisa D’Amato accused Tyra Banks of using the Netflix doc as a “money grab”
Lisa D’Amato is perhaps the most outspoken former contestant against the documentary. That may be partially because she has a rival documentary coming out with E! in March. First, Lisa responded by calling Tyra a “slimy little snake.” At the time, the All Stars winner said of Tyra, “I believe she’s gonna soften the truths (about the show) and not take any accountability because narcissists don’t know how to do that.”
More recently, Lisa dismissed the docuseries as a cash grab. “Tyra’s all about making money,” she said, adding, “She doesn’t have any real empathy for anybody else but herself.” Lisa continued to theorize that Tyra isn’t actually taking accountability, but pretending to in order to secure future opportunities. She claimed, “In order for her to save face, to make more money in the future, she’s going to have to take a bit of accountability.”
Interestingly enough, the Netflix docuseries reportedly ends with Tyra announcing America’s Next Top Model will return for Cycle 25. So, does Lisa have a point?
Cycle 6 winner Danielle Evans called out Tyra’s “bull f*cking sh*t”
Unlike the other names on this list, Cycle 6 winner Danielle Evans is featured in the Netflix documentary. Danielle and Joanie Dodds’ dental makeovers were undoubtedly one of ANTM’s most infamous moments. Despite supermodels like Lauren Hutton having gaps in their teeth, Tyra insisted Danielle’s was an issue.
A preview showed Tyra acknowledging she made a mistake, but explaining her side. Tyra claimed, “There were agents that would tell me she will not work with those teeth … I could’ve just been quiet and let them handle it. Hindsight is 20/20 for all of us. It just so happens that a lot of the things that are 20/20 for me happened in front of the world.”
However, Danielle didn’t buy it, responding, “Bull f*cking sh*t.” The hat designer continued, “Me getting my gap closed is not opening any doors for me. You knew what you were doing for the show. You were making it good for TV, at my expense.” The 40-year-old also pointed out that, in a future ANTM season, Tyra had another contestant’s gap widened.
Brittany Corinne Hatch says Tyra deserves the backlash
Cycle 8 contestant Brittany Corinne Hatch spoke to Front Page Pop Culture about her ANTM experience. Brittany said that ANTM alums weren’t just contestants, but “survivors”. Clearly referring to Tyra, she added, “The ‘She’ in charge deserves the hate.”
Throughout her statement, Brittany condemned producers for “coercive control and breakdown tactics,” including sleep deprivation, isolation, and trauma minding. Brittany also brought up dangers on the photoshoots, such as contestants suffering hypothermia and frostbite. And she mentioned the labor violations, and that contestants were “paid pennies … while the network made millions.” Brittany is far from the first ANTM alum to bring up the low wages contestants received.
She concluded, “The fact that these monsters are planning a Cycle 25 is literally disgusting.”
Victoria Henley accuses Tyra of lacking accountability
Cycle 19 star Victoria Henley wrote a blog post ahead of the Netflix documentary. The model was already dismayed by the trailer. As she remarked, the clip shows Tyra “quipping something for the effect of ‘I knew I went too far. But you all kept asking for more, so we kept pushing.’ Not Tyra literally blaming the audience in the trailer.”
However, she added that it is “validating to see the show-runners finally own up and fess up to perhaps even a fraction of what they actually put us contestants through … because it was a lot.” She called the ANTM contract “the most deeply troubling I’ve ever read.” Once she was on the show, the sleep deprivation and bullying affected her so much, she lost a significant amount of weight. This was subsequently used as her storyline.
But despite her negative experience, the model also wrote that she is grateful for the opportunities that came from the show. At the end, Victoria wrote, “I’m cautiously optimistic about this documentary, and I’ve got my popcorn and champagne ready.”
Reality Check: America’s Next Top Model is available to stream on Netflix.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL CONTESTANTS’ COMMENTS ABOUT THE SHOW AND TYRA BANKS? WILL YOU WATCH REALITY CHECK: AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL ON NETFLIX?
