Tyra Banks Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Netflix

Tyra Banks filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix on Saturday, June 13, 2026, alleging the streaming service manipulated her interview to create a false and damaging portrayal of her in the documentary series "Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model." The former supermodel and longtime host of the reality competition claims producers used only 16 minutes of a three-and-a-half-hour interview, editing the footage to construct a narrative she never endorsed.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, centers on the documentary's treatment of a serious allegation from a former contestant. The series revisits an incident involving Cycle 2 contestant Shandi Sullivan, who has stated that what was originally framed on the show as a cheating scandal was, in fact, a sexual assault by a guest during production. Banks's legal complaint argues the documentary's editing left viewers with the impression that she knowingly allowed the assault to occur, exploited the trauma for ratings, and could not remember the incident when asked. Banks calls this narrative a "complete fabrication" that was streamed to a global audience.

According to the filing, Banks agreed to participate in the project,...