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Tyra Banks sues Netflix over documentary defamation claims
Tyra Banks has filed a federal lawsuit against Netflix and the production company EverWonder Studio over the 2026 documentary series 'Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model.' Banks alleges that the filmmakers used selective editing and deliberate omissions to create a defamatory and false narrative regarding her conduct during the original series.
In her legal filings, Banks claims that while she participated in a three-and-a-half-hour interview, only 16 minutes were included in the final cut. She is seeking access to unedited footage of her own interview as well as those of former colleagues Jay Manuel, Miss J. Alexander, and Nigel Barker to support her claims of false light and breach of contract.
Netflix has moved to dismiss the case, arguing that Banks signed an agreement granting producers broad editorial rights and acknowledging she had no right to review or approve the final product. The streaming giant has also filed an anti-SLAPP motion, maintaining that the filmmakers fairly represented the subject matter through ordinary editorial decisions.
Entities
EverWonder Studio · Jay Manuel · Miss J. Alexander · Netflix · Tyra Banks
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Netflix argues that Banks signed an agreement granting producers broad editorial rights and waived the right to review the finished work. oliverwillis.com · www.theroot.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Tyra Banks filed a federal lawsuit against Netflix and documentary filmmakers on June 13, 2026. oliverwillis.com · www.theroot.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Banks alleges the documentary 'Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model' created a false and defamatory portrayal of her role in show controversies. oliverwillis.com · www.theroot.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Banks is seeking access to unedited interview footage from herself and former colleagues Jay Manuel, Miss J. Alexander, and Nigel Barker. theblast.com · www.theroot.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Netflix has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit and an anti-SLAPP motion to strike the claims. oliverwillis.com · www.theroot.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Banks claims she provided three and a half hours of interview footage, but only 16 minutes were used in the final production. www.theroot.com