Tyra Banks Sues Netflix for America's Next Top Model Doc
Variety • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Tyra Banks has filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix and associated parties, alleging that her extensive interview for the "America’s Next Top Model" docuseries was heavily edited to create a false and damaging narrative.
- The lawsuit claims that Banks' testimony was cut from over three hours to about 16 minutes, omitting her accountability and instead portraying her as complicit in allowing a contestant to be sexually assaulted and exploiting the trauma for ratings.
- A specific example cited involves contestant Shadni Sullivan, whose incident was framed as assault in the series, despite Banks never being informed of this during her interview; the edited footage suggests Banks could not remember the story, which Banks disputes with unedited footage evidence.
- Banks is suing for false light, defamation by implication, breach of contract, and false endorsement, and is seeking a jury trial to determine punitive damages for the alleged defamation.
- Netflix has not yet responded publicly to the lawsuit filed by Banks.