Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model

A three-part Netflix docuseries titled "Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model" explores the history, production, and impact of the reality competition series, which aired for 24 cycles from 2003. The series features interviews with creator Tyra Banks, executive producer Ken Mok, former judges, and numerous former contestants, examining the show's role in promoting diversity alongside criticisms regarding its production practices and contestant treatment.

Docuseries Overview

"Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model" is a three-part documentary series directed by Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan, scheduled to premiere on February 16. The series aims to provide a comprehensive look at "America's Next Top Model" (ANTM), covering its initial stated goals of promoting diversity in the fashion industry, as well as recent criticisms.

Key individuals featured in the docuseries include:

• Tyra Banks (Creator and Host)
• Ken Mok (Executive Producer)
• Jay Manuel (Former Creative Director/Judge)
• J. Alexander (Former Catwalk Coach/Judge)
• Nigel Barker (Former Photographer/Judge)
• Former contestants and winners such as Whitney Thompson, Shandi Sullivan, Dani Evans, Keenyah Hill, and Shannon Stewart.

Notable individuals reported as absent from the documentary include former judges Janice Dickinson and Tiffany Richardson.

Adrianne Curry Opts Out

Adrianne Curry, the winner of the inaugural season of "America's Next Top Model" in 2003, announced her decision not to participate in the Netflix docuseries. Curry, who has stated she is retired from the entertainment industry, cited a lack of trust in producers to accurately represent her statements and a desire to avoid public scrutiny.

She expressed her belief that re-evaluating the show's past actions through contemporary cultural standards is "absurd" and described the docuseries as a "cover up fest."

Curry also voiced concern for other former contestants, hoping their statements would not be manipulated. She has previously stated feeling "betrayed and lied to by the show," characterizing the entertainment industry as "cutthroat" and "predatory."

Focus on Production Practices and Contestant Experiences

The docuseries details various behind-the-scenes issues and contestant accounts.

Body Shaming and Criticism

Contestants were reportedly weighed on camera and subjected to body criticism. Giselle Samson (Cycle 1) recalled overhearing judges make negative comments about her body. Another contestant was reportedly made to pose as an elephant in a safari-themed photoshoot due to her size.

Controversial Challenges

Challenges were described by some participants as "humiliation rituals."

Dani Evans (Cycle 6 winner) stated she was pressured by Banks in 2006 to close a distinctive gap in her teeth to remain in the competition. This was contrasted with Banks later encouraging a white contestant to widen their own gap in a subsequent cycle.

Dionne (from an unspecified cycle) was reportedly asked to pose with a bullet wound in her head, despite her mother having been shot and left paralyzed by an ex-lover. Executive producer Ken Mok acknowledged the bullet wound photoshoot as "a mistake."

Handling of Personal Incidents

• Shandi Sullivan (Cycle 2) stated she experienced trauma from how producers handled a personal incident during a trip to Milan. She recounted a sexual encounter after consuming alcohol, which was filmed by camera crews. Shandi stated she had consumed two bottles of wine and was "blacked out for a lot of it," only being aware that "sex was happening" before losing consciousness. Production reportedly did not intervene, and the event was filmed. Mok defended the filming as consistent with the show's "documentary" approach, stating the scene was "scaled back" in post-production. Shandi's requests to leave production were reportedly denied, and she was only allowed to call her boyfriend on the condition that the call was filmed. Tyra Banks' response involved a group discussion with contestants about "relationship mistakes," which aired in an episode titled "The Girl Who Cheated."
• Keenyah Hill (Cycle 4) described being dismissed by producers, including Banks, after reporting inappropriate behavior by a male model during a photoshoot.

The "Tyra v Tiffany Incident"

The docuseries opens with a scene from season four where Tyra Banks confronted contestant Tiffany Richardson during her elimination. Banks stated her intention was to help Richardson become a supermodel. Jay Manuel commented that some statements made during the incident were problematic.

Many contestants, some from disadvantaged backgrounds, reportedly viewed ANTM as a pathway to success but later stated it was detrimental to their careers. The fashion industry was reportedly not significantly influenced by ANTM's elaborate photoshoots, which included themes such as homelessness, murder victims, or portraying ethnicities other than their own.

Tyra Banks' Role and Statements

Tyra Banks is featured in the docuseries acknowledging criticisms of past production choices. She stated that some actions during the show were excessive and attributed the intensity to audience demand. Banks created ANTM with the stated motivation of challenging the fashion industry's narrow beauty standards and casting diverse women, drawing from her own experiences with racism and body discrimination. However, the docuseries portrays her stated goals as often conflicting with production decisions aimed at creating engaging television. Banks frequently cited "industry standards" to justify certain requirements, often framed as "tough love."

Banks maintains a self-perception as a benevolent disruptor.

Reflecting on the 2005 incident with Tiffany Richardson, Banks stated her intention was to "change this woman's life."

Banks reportedly declined to address specific storylines or production aspects during the docuseries, stating they were "not my territory." Banks expressed gratitude for being prompted to reflect and evolve, and views the docuseries as an opportunity to address accountability, while also hinting at future plans for "America's Next Top Model."

Docuseries Production and Context

The docuseries is noted for contributing to a balanced perspective, partly because Banks is not credited as a producer on "Reality Check." Directors Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan presented Banks' apologies and explanations alongside the perspectives of former contestants and colleagues. The series positions "America's Next Top Model" within the early landscape of reality television, noting its initially perceived "inclusive" mantra. While some participants, such as plus-sized winner Whitney Lee Thompson Forrester (Cycle 10), credited the show with providing opportunities, other contestants faced body shaming, and the show demonstrated limitations in representing diverse body types and appearances.

The documentary concludes by showing former contestants who appear healthier and more reflective about their experiences. The docuseries has been criticized by some for framing ANTM as merely a "product of its time" and for its "skin deep" conclusions, allegedly failing to sufficiently emphasize the distress expressed by contestants at the time.