‘Reality Check: America’s Next Top Model’ directors on Tyra Banks interview and more takeaways

by

“America’s Next Top Model” was essentially Tyra Banks’ creation. She came up with the idea for the show, put together the main team, and was its central figure for 23 seasons. It originally aired on UPN before moving to The CW.

A new Netflix docuseries called “Reality Check,” which looks back at “America’s Next Top Model” and its complicated past through the eyes of people who were on the show, wasn’t created with Tyra Banks’ involvement. According to co-director Daniel Sivan, Banks wasn’t asked to participate until after filming had already begun. His wife, Mor Loushy, co-directed the series with him.

Sivan explained that the addition felt promising, but wasn’t essential. Fortunately, Banks ultimately agreed to a four-hour interview, which Loushy believes significantly improved the depth of the series.

It’s easy to find criticism of her work,” Sivan explained. “But the drive and dedication she used to create this program are uniquely her own story to share.

Sivan and Loushy are known for films with a social or political focus, so their new film, “Reality Check,” which centers on pop culture, feels like a change of pace. However, Loushy explains she approached this project with the same dedication and attention to detail as their highly praised 2025 documentary series, “American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden.”

Television

After a six-year hiatus, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has returned, and Tyra Banks – who last walked the runway in 2005 – brought the show to a close.

Loushy explained that making the show was challenging, dealing with difficult and sensitive topics. She specifically mentioned the harassment faced by contestants on ‘America’s Next Top Model‘ and the everyday insecurities many women experience, which she described as deeply affecting.

Sivan was drawn to making a documentary about “America’s Next Top Model” because of the sad story of Tyra Banks and her team. He explained that they initially aimed to help and represent women and other underrepresented groups in fashion. However, as the show progressed, he observed that the people involved, who he described as outsiders, began to act like bullies.

Sivan expressed hope that people would continue to discuss whether the subject ultimately had a positive or negative impact, saying, “Ultimately, did it do more good than harm? I hope that remains a topic of debate.”

He explained that a documentary’s impact doesn’t finish when the credits roll; it truly ends with the discussions it inspires.

Here are seven takeaways from “Reality Check” that are sure to drive those conversations.

Television

The new three-part Netflix documentary, ‘Victoria Beckham,’ tells the story of how the former Spice Girl transitioned from a pop star to a successful fashion designer.

Shandi Sullivan implies she was sexually assaulted

The second-to-last episode of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 2 spends a significant amount of time on a storyline where contestant Shandi Sullivan is accused of being unfaithful to her boyfriend Eric while in Milan, with a male model.

From what Sullivan shared in the first couple episodes of “Reality Check,” she was really drunk that night. It started with some drinks, and then everyone went into the hot tub. That’s where things began to escalate with this male model. The cameras kept recording, even when things moved to the shower and then the bed, but Sullivan says she completely blacked out. What’s really disturbing is that no one intervened or stopped it, even though she was in no state to consent.

Sullivan believes that after the incident in the hot tub, someone should have intervened and stopped things from escalating. He feels they should have said something like, ‘This has gone too far, we need to help her.’

According to executive producer Ken Mok, the show’s creators aimed to observe and film events as they happened, rather than get involved. He explains they approached ‘Top Model’ like a documentary and made that clear to the contestants.

During a difficult moment on Cycle 4, when contestant Keenyah Hill revealed a male model had repeatedly groped her during a photoshoot, Tyra Banks advised her to learn how to advocate for herself.

Eating disorders were rampant on set and contestants were pressured into cosmetic work

As a lifelong movie fan, I was really saddened to learn about the way they treated Marilyn Monroe. Apparently, she was constantly criticized about her weight and how she looked. I read that Janice Dickinson, a former supermodel who was a judge, actually told Marilyn to try and hide her stomach during photoshoots! It sounds like Dickinson often shared harsh and frankly unkind opinions while judging, and it’s just awful to think about the pressure that put on Marilyn.

According to the documentary, many contestants, like Whitney Thompson (known as ‘Hill’), faced criticism about their weight and were pressured to diet to look like typical models, leading to frequent eating disorders. Bre Scullark, a contestant from Cycle 5, shares this observation. Model Heather Kuzmich even fainted and was instructed by a medic to eat more, admitting she’d simply pushed herself too far.

As a huge fan of the show, I was really disturbed to learn about how the producers treated Joanie Dodds and Dani Evans back on Cycle 6. They basically strong-armed them into getting unnecessary dental work, focusing on how they looked instead of their actual health. I was especially shocked by what happened to Dani; she really didn’t want to lose her tooth gap – it was part of her look! But the producers, led by Banks, basically told her it was either fix it or be eliminated from the competition. It just feels so wrong that they’d put that kind of pressure on young women like that.

In the documentary, journalist Zakiya Gibbons points out that the girls were praised and celebrated despite prioritizing their ambitions over their well-being.

I have to admit, one of the most unsettling moments in this docuseries comes from an old interview with Mok on a show called “The Inner View.” He actually celebrates extreme illness, saying that the worst possible situations – people with dangerously high fevers, vomiting, needing IV drips – are, and I quote, “the best news I could ever have.” It’s a truly bizarre and disturbing statement, and it really gives you a glimpse into his mindset.

Producers mined models’ files to create drama

Dionne Walters, a contestant on Cycle 8 of the show, experienced a traumatic childhood when her mother was shot and left paralyzed. Ironically, during a particularly controversial crime-themed photoshoot – similar to the racially sensitive shoots in Cycles 4 and 13 – Walters was depicted as a shooting victim herself, complete with a simulated bullet wound to the head.

In the documentary, Walters initially believed it was just chance, but now feels there was a connection to her mother’s accident being mentioned in her application. The judges also commented that her photos lacked emotional expression.

“I’m just glad they didn’t get the reaction that I feel like they were hoping to get,” she says.

In the documentary, Mok admits he made a serious error during that photoshoot, saying, “I completely messed up. Looking back, I realize how foolish I was.”

Banks’ rant at Tiffany Richardson became a meme, but it was not funny

Since it first aired, Tyra Banks’ famous outburst – “I was rooting for you! We were all rooting for you!” – directed at Tiffany Richardson, has become a popular meme and has even been referenced on shows like “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” However, Nigel Barker, a former judge and photographer on “America’s Next Top Model,” recalls that the moment wasn’t funny at all when it actually happened.

Honestly, Tyra Banks really startled everyone on set. I heard we all actually jumped! After they filmed the scene, the crew had to walk her off, according to Jay Manuel, who was also there. Apparently, Tyra herself said she just went way too far and lost control for a moment.

Manuel claims not everything Tyra Banks said during that taping made it onto the show. Stylist and judge Nolé Marin adds that lawyers had to come to the set afterward.

Television

This year’s most compelling documentaries and series explored a wide range of stories, from the lives of celebrities to those of everyday people, and introduced us to fresh ideas and viewpoints.

Banks and ‘The Jays’ didn’t end on good terms

Manuel explained that he grew uneasy with Banks’ constant push to change “America’s Next Top Model,” even if it meant straying from the show’s initial goal of helping young models succeed.

After the host finally decided to leave, Tyra Banks reportedly became distant and unfriendly towards him. Although he continued working on the show for another ten seasons, their relationship never repaired itself. In the documentary, Banks refused to discuss the situation with him, stating she would only contact him directly – something she hasn’t done, as far as the filmmakers know.

Following Manuel’s attempt to leave “America’s Next Top Model,” he, along with Barker and J. Alexander, were let go after the CW network president asked Tyra Banks and Ken Mok to make some changes. Though the three men have remained friends, Banks is no longer close to them. Notably, Tyra Banks never visited J. Alexander (also known as Miss J) in the hospital after he suffered a serious stroke.

It’s really tough seeing J. Alexander talk about missing his time as a runway icon. He shared that he used to coach models on how to walk, and now, ironically, he’s facing his own challenges with walking. He’s hopeful though, saying ‘not yet,’ which gives me a lot of hope for his recovery. It’s just heartbreaking to hear, knowing how much he gave to the fashion world.

Jay Manuel said that when he attempted to leave “America’s Next Top Model,” he received a warning that was incredibly intimidating – a threat of being professionally ostracized, or ‘blacklisted.’ (Netflix)

Winners rarely found success in the industry after the show

Reality shows like “America’s Next Top Model” promised contestants a quick start to successful modeling careers. However, even the winners often struggled to maintain those careers after the show ended.

Evans, who was pressured to close the gap in her teeth, shared that another model once told her how an agent said they needed to handle Dani differently because she was a former contestant on ‘Top Model.’ Evans later discovered that Tyra Banks had known for years that this model was being unfairly overlooked for work, but didn’t intervene.

You know, when I heard Naomi Evans talk about her conversations with Tyra Banks, it really struck me. Tyra actually admitted she always walked a fine line with the contestants. And it made me think about ‘America’s Next Top Model’ – how the whole show, this massive, multi-million dollar brand, was essentially built on exploiting the dreams of those young women who tried out. It’s a pretty cynical way to look at it, but that’s what she said.

Television

Tyra Banks is leaving ‘Dancing With the Stars’ after hosting and producing the show for three years.

Banks says she is not done yet with ‘ANTM’

Even with all the criticism and difficult experiences, including conflicts with past participants, Tyra Banks remained focused on bringing back “America’s Next Top Model,” as shown in the documentary.

Banks stated they have much more work ahead and hinted at exciting plans for the next phase, known as Cycle 25. “You haven’t seen anything yet,” they implied.

No new seasons of the show have been announced as of the documentary’s release.

Read More

2026-02-16 14:32