Tyra Banks, the creator and former host of America's Next Top Model, has launched a defamation case against Netflix, directors Daniel Sivan and Mor Loushy, and EverWonder Studio over a recently released docuseries about the reality competition programme. The lawsuit, filed Saturday in Los Angeles federal court, seeks damages and an injunction preventing the use of Banks' image in connection with the show's soundtrack album.

According to the legal filing, the filmmakers employed "selective editing, deliberate omission, and surgical manipulation of continuous footage" to construct a false narrative that Banks was aware of a contestant's sexual assault, exploited the victim's trauma for higher ratings, and later feigned ignorance during interviews. Banks' legal team contends that the editing made it appear she knew she was being questioned about the assault and was deliberately avoiding the subject, when in fact she had never been informed of or asked about the incident during filming.

Banks' lawyers assert she received only one day's notice before the February 16 release to view the documentary and was denied the opportunity to review content beforehand. She was not contacted for fact-checking following her interviews and received no chance to address allegations raised by other former cast members. The lawsuit notes that one of the show's former judges who consulted on the docuseries allegedly harboured resentment toward Banks, raising questions about editorial impartiality.

The model took issue with her exclusion from the production process, stating in the lawsuit that had she known about the consultants' involvement and her own sidelining, she would have recognised the setup and declined participation. After the documentary's release, Banks has faced intense public backlash, with even her ice cream shop SMiZE & DREAM in Sydney, Australia, experiencing review bombing on Google.

Banks' representatives contacted Netflix in March seeking access to her complete interview footage, but the company and EverWonder denied the request. The lawsuit emphasises that Banks attempted to resolve the dispute directly with Netflix and the producers before resorting to legal action. "This lawsuit is that answer," her lawyers stated, noting that her prepared candid reflection on the show's legacy has been overshadowed by the unaddressed accusation.

America's Next Top Model debuted in 2003 and ran for 24 seasons before concluding. In recent years, the franchise has faced significant scrutiny regarding body-shaming practices, contestant manipulation, and controversial photoshoots. Banks has previously acknowledged "the insensitivity of past ANTM moments" and ownership of "some really off choices" made during the show's run.