Lisa D’Amato, winner of America’s Next Top Model, believes Tyra Banks’ upcoming Netflix documentary is an attempt to downplay past actions that would likely be considered unacceptable today.
Whitney D’Amato, originally from Los Angeles, first appeared on America’s Next Top Model alongside Tyra Banks in 2005 as a contestant on cycle five. She later won the All-Stars edition of the show in 2011.
To protect her reputation and continue earning in the future, Banks needs to acknowledge her role in past issues, according to D’Amato, who spoke about Banks’ new special, ‘Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model,’ to Page Six.
She estimated Banks will take ‘about 5 percent accountability’ for her past actions.
The new documentary series, premiering on the streaming service Monday, will explore the complex history of the reality show.
The program will include interviews with Banks and several models, judges, and people involved behind the scenes.
D’Amato worries that Banks’ previous mistakes related to the show will be downplayed or misrepresented to change how people view the situation.
D’Amato said she’s going to be carefully listening to the opinions of people who have been on the show before.
Having firsthand knowledge of what they went through and its impact, I’m eager to see how the show depicts their story and what choices the editors make, D’Amato explained.
D’Amato also shared concerns about the upcoming Instagram documentary, stating she believes Banks is heavily involved in shaping its creative direction and will likely present the story in a way that favors her own image.
In a preview for an upcoming special, Tyra Banks admitted she regretted some things she did while hosting America’s Next Top Model.
According to records, she was attempting to deliver content that resonated with audiences, reflecting a trend of pushing boundaries in popular media at the time.
It was incredibly intense,” Banks explained. “But you all wanted more, so we kept going and going and going.”
D’Amato explained to the publication that Banks also had a financial incentive to admit wrongdoing: it would be good for business.
Honestly, as someone who’s followed things for a while, it really seems like Tyra’s primary focus is always the financial side of things. It’s disappointing, but it feels like she struggles to genuinely connect with or care about others – it often comes across as very self-centered.
Based on my extensive experience, I believe this situation is primarily about Tyra making money, and that’s why she isn’t facing complete public condemnation.
Influencer D’Amato, with over 264,000 followers on Instagram, will be featured in a new E! documentary called Dirty Rotten Scandals, which premieres on March 11th.
In a sneak peek of the upcoming special, Tyra Banks hinted that America’s Next Top Model was less about finding the best model and more about a mental game.
In the video, she powerfully stated, ‘You held my hopes and dreams in your hands, and you had no right to destroy my life.’
D’Amato explained on Instagram that she felt she was simply acting on her religious beliefs by speaking up against things she believed were wrong.
She added, ‘Stand for something or fall for anything.’
The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for both D’Amato and Banks for a response to their recent statements.
D’Amato is currently in Southwestern Europe, providing care for her father, who is dealing with both Type 2 Diabetes and multiple sclerosis.
In a 2025 interview with the Daily Mail, she explained that she and her father left the country seeking better medical care for him, essentially as medical refugees.
My father was very sick, so I brought him out of the United States, and he’s now doing much better. He was declining rapidly in the U.S. – he was becoming very weak and they were taking advantage of him financially.
‘Since moving my family – I guess it’s the new American dream to get out of the United States!’
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2026-02-13 03:36