Los Angeles — Tyra Banks has filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix and the directors of the docuseries “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model,” alleging that the production manipulated her interview footage to present a false narrative. The lawsuit was filed Saturday in federal court in Los Angeles.

Banks, who created and hosted “America’s Next Top Model,” said she was interviewed for three and a half hours, during which she acknowledged responsibility for some controversial aspects of the show. However, she alleges those interviews were edited down to just 16 minutes and selectively edited to portray a defamatory and inaccurate version of her statements. Her legal team said key moments of accountability were excluded, preventing viewers from hearing the full context.

The suit names Netflix, directors Daniel Sivan and Mor Loushy, and production company EverWonder Studio as defendants. Banks is pursuing monetary damages and seeks an injunction to prevent the use of her image in connection with the docuseries’ soundtrack, which was released as an album.

“America’s Next Top Model” debuted in 2003 and spanned 24 seasons. In recent years, the show has faced renewed scrutiny over accusations including body shaming, contestant manipulation, and controversial photoshoots. Banks has publicly admitted to “insensitivity” and “off choices” made during the show’s run.

The core allegation of the lawsuit is that the Netflix docuseries employs “selective editing, deliberate omission, and surgical manipulation” to create the impression that Banks allowed a contestant’s sexual assault on the show, exploited the trauma for ratings, and then feigned ignorance when questioned. Banks contends she was never informed or asked about the sexual assault during her interviews, but the docuseries was edited to imply she was avoiding the topic knowingly.

Banks’ attorneys also state she was not given an opportunity to review the docuseries until one day before its release on February 16. They claim she was excluded from the editorial process and not contacted for fact-checking or to respond to allegations by other participants. The lawsuit notes that other former judges from the show, including one alleged to hold a grudge against Banks, served as consultants on the documentary, raising concerns over conflict of interest.

In March, Banks’ representatives reportedly requested access to the full interview footage, which Netflix and EverWonder denied. According to the lawsuit, the release of the docuseries triggered swift and harsh public backlash directed at Banks, extending to negative online reviews of her Sydney-based ice cream shop, SMiZE & DREAM.

Banks’ legal team characterized the lawsuit as an effort to address the narrative she says she was denied the chance to clarify. They emphasized that prior attempts to resolve the dispute directly with Netflix and the producers were unsuccessful.

Representatives for Netflix, the directors, and EverWonder have not publicly commented on the lawsuit. Further details remain pending.