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Tyra Banks is finally addressing the various controversies and scandals to plague America's Next Top Model in new documentary Reality Check, and Netflix dropped the trailer on Monday.
The fan-favorite reality TV modeling competition - which aired for 24 seasons spanning 2003-2018 on UPN, The CW and VH1 - was notorious for dangerous runway challenges, problematic photo challenges and disastrous makeovers.
'I haven't really said much, but now it's time,' the 52-year-old model-turned-presenter admitted.
'I knew I went too far.'
Banks continued: 'It was very, very intense. But you guys were demanding it, so we kept pushing more and more and more.'
In her 'fight against the fashion industry,' the two-time Daytime Emmy winner pushed the boundaries of taste on more than one occasion including the infamous swapped ethnicities 'blackface' shoot for a Got Milk? ad during cycle 4.
Tyra Banks is finally addressing the various controversies and scandals to plague America's Next Top Model in new documentary Reality Check, and Netflix dropped the trailer on Monday
The fan-favorite reality TV modeling competition - which aired for 24 seasons spanning 2003-2018 on UPN, The CW and VH1 - was notorious for dangerous runway challenges, problematic photo challenges and disastrous makeovers
'I want to be very clear: I, in no way, put my Top Models in blackface. I'm a black woman. I am proud. I love my people and the struggle that we have gone through continues, and the last thing that I would ever do is be a part of something that degraded my race,' Banks said in a statement at the time.
'I'm sorry to anybody that watched Top Model and was offended by the pictures because they didn't understand the real story behind them or even if you did see the whole episode and you were still offended, I truly apologize because that is not my intention. My intention is to spread beauty and break down barriers.'
Producer Ken Mok is later seen remarking: 'That was a moment where I realized, "Oh my God. I think we've built a monster."'
Reality Check features former contestants including cycle 10 winner Whitney Thompson, cycle 4 finalist Keenyah Hill, cycle 1 contestant Giselle Samson and cycle 6 winner Danielle Evans.
Evans said it was 'so f***ed up' that the SMiZE & DREAM founder pressured her to undergo a dental procedure to close the gap in her front teeth as part of her 'makeover,' lamenting: 'It's a TV show to you guys, but this is my life.'
Other contestant recalled being told she was 'not thin enough' during her time on the show,
Former judges Nigel Barker, Jay Manuel and Miss J. Alexander also appear in Reality Check where the first two openly admit to feeling 'betrayed' when Banks fired them after cycle 18 aired in 2012.
The preview opened with the iconic moment the Inglewood native screamed at 'unserious' cycle 4 contestant Tiffany Richardson: 'I have never in my life yelled at a girl like this!
'When my mother yells like this, it's because she loves me. I was rooting for you! We were all rooting for you!'
'I haven't really said much, but now it's time,' the 52-year-old model-turned-presenter admitted. 'I knew I went too far'
Banks continued: 'It was very, very intense. But you guys were demanding it, so we kept pushing more and more and more'
In her 'fight against the fashion industry,' the two-time Daytime Emmy winner pushed the boundaries of taste on more than one occasion including the infamous swapped ethnicities 'blackface' shoot for a Got Milk? ad during cycle 4
Producer Ken Mok is later seen remarking: 'That was a moment where I realized, "Oh my God. I think we've built a monster"'
Reality Check features former contestants including cycle 10 winner Whitney Thompson, cycle 4 finalist Keenyah Hill, cycle 1 contestant Giselle Samson and cycle 6 winner Danielle Evans (pictured)
Evans said it was 'so f***ed up' that Banks pressured her to undergo a dental procedure to close the gap in her front teeth as part of her 'makeover,' lamenting: 'It's a TV show to you guys, but this is my life'
Former judges Nigel Barker, Jay Manuel (pictured) and Miss J. Alexander also appear in Reality Check where the first two openly admit to feeling 'betrayed' when the SMiZE & DREAM founder fired them after cycle 18 aired in 2012
The preview opened with the iconic moment Banks screamed at 'unserious' cycle 4 contestant Tiffany Richardson: 'I have never in my life yelled at a girl like this! When my mother yells like this, it's because she loves me. I was rooting for you! We were all rooting for you!'
Directing duo Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan's three-part docuseries Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model premieres February 16 on Netflix
ANTM's biggest success stories was Winnie Harlow then known as Chantelle Brown-Young, who came in sixth place on cycle 21 and raised awareness about the autoimmune skin disorder vitiligo
However, the 31-year-old CAA-repped Model scoffed to ELLE Australia in 2020 that the show was 'completely useless for her career' (pictured January 16)
Though he'd never admit it, RuPaul Charles (2-L) has Banks to thank for the overall format of his own Emmy-winning, reality TV competition RuPaul's Drag Race, and All Stars spin-off
Directing duo Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan's three-part docuseries Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model premieres February 16 on Netflix.
ANTM's biggest success stories was Winnie Harlow then known as Chantelle Brown-Young, who came in sixth place on cycle 21 and raised awareness about the autoimmune skin disorder vitiligo.
However, the 31-year-old CAA-repped Model scoffed to ELLE Australia in 2020 that the show was 'completely useless for her career.'
Though he'd never admit it, RuPaul Charles has Banks to thank for the overall format of his own Emmy-winning, reality TV competition RuPaul's Drag Race, and All Stars spin-off.
The Victoria's Secret Angel made history in 1996 as the first African-American model to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue - and she returned for the covers in 1997, 2019 and 2024.
