Model and television personality Tyra Banks has filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix, alleging that the streaming giant manipulated her into participating in a documentary about her former reality show, America’s Next Top Model. The documentary, titled Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, examines the show’s successes and controversies, including claims of exploitation and a contestant who alleged she was sexually assaulted on camera.

Allegations of Manipulation

Banks claims that her confessionals were ‘stripped of context and reassembled to support a false and defamatory narrative unrelated to what she actually expressed.’ She alleges that Netflix producers selectively edited portions of her interview to make it seem like she was responding to questions about a former contestant’s sexual assault, when in fact she had never heard about the incident before. Banks says she respects the courage of the contestant who came forward and wishes that somebody involved with the Netflix series had told her about the allegations.

The lawsuit accuses Netflix of causing ‘significant harm and damage to the personal brand’ that Banks has built over decades. She is seeking damages for loss of future business opportunities, loss of business income, and other losses. The documentary has also had a negative impact on her Sydney-based ice cream business, with online ratings plummeting since the documentary aired.

Background

America’s Next Top Model premiered in 2003 and ran for 24 seasons before ending in 2018. The show was known for its competitive format, where contestants would participate in various challenges to win the top prize. However, the show was also criticized for its portrayal of the fashion industry and its treatment of contestants.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.