Tyra Banks and America’s Next Top Model: What to Know as New Specials Revisit the Show’s Legacy

More than two decades after America’s Next Top Model first premiered, the legacy of the groundbreaking reality series is once again under the spotlight.

A new Netflix documentary revisiting the show has drawn massive attention, with more than 14 million viewers tuning in. Despite some online speculation suggesting otherwise, Tyra Banks did not produce the documentary and had no official role in its development. Now, with E!’s upcoming Dirty Rotten Scandals episode set to examine controversies surrounding the series, questions are emerging about the credibility of some of the sources driving the narrative around the show and its creator.

But as new projects revisit the history of the long-running competition, many former contestants and industry insiders say the current narrative reflects only part of what actually happened behind the scenes.

Here is what to know as renewed scrutiny surrounding America’s Next Top Model continues.

A Reality Show From a Different Era

When America’s Next Top Model premiered in 2003, reality television was defined by tough-love judging and high-stakes competition. Shows across the genre normalized blunt critiques, dramatic eliminations and emotionally charged moments designed to capture audiences in an era when unscripted television was still finding its voice.

Supporters of Banks say the series should be viewed within the broader context of the reality television landscape at the time.

The Show Helped Redefine Beauty Standards

One of the most important parts of the story is the impact America’s Next Top Model had on the fashion industry.

When Banks created the series, modeling was widely criticized for being inaccessible and dominated by a narrow definition of beauty. The industry largely centered white, extremely thin models discovered through elite agencies in a handful of fashion capitals.

America’s Next Top Model intentionally challenged that system. The show regularly featured contestants from groups historically underrepresented in the modeling world, including Black women across a wide range of skin tones at a time when darker complexions were often less visible in mainstream media, plus-size models and women whose looks fell outside traditional agency standards. By placing them at the center of a competition built around beauty and success, the series helped push broader representation into mainstream fashion and television.

The program also opened conversations about race, sexuality, body image and gender expression for mainstream audiences industry years before those discussions became more common. Contestants such as Isis King, one of the first openly transgender participants on mainstream reality television, became part of that broader shift.

Just as significant was the structure of the show itself. Women, and particularly women of color, were placed in positions of authority as judges, mentors and industry leaders. Banks served not only as host but as the show’s creator and executive producer.

For many contestants, appearing on the show offered access to opportunities that had previously been out of reach. Aspiring models from across the country received hands-on training and often worked directly with leading photographers, designers and industry professionals that would have been difficult to have access to otherwise.

Former Contestants Have Also Spoken Out in Support

Across its 24 cycles and hundreds of contestants, many former contestants have credited Banks with creating opportunities that simply did not exist before the show. While criticism from some former participants has drawn significant attention in recent years, several contestants have also publicly defended Banks and credited the show with changing their lives.

Cycle 8 winner Jaslene González has said the show opened doors she never imagined possible. Cycle 3 winner Eva Marcille has also been a vocal supporter of Banks and the series, crediting the show with launching her career in modeling and television. Isis King has similarly spoken about how appearing on the series helped launch her career and increase visibility for transgender models.

Even some contestants who have been critical of aspects of the show have acknowledged the opportunities it created. Cycle 1 winner Adrianne Curry, for example, has previously said she does not believe Banks should be judged solely through a modern lens, noting that the series provided a platform that helped introduce new talent to the industry.

Supporters say those perspectives are often overshadowed by the louder voices of critics in the current conversation.

How Public Scrutiny Has Shifted the Conversation

Some observers — including people who worked on the show as well as commentators following the public debate — say the intense scrutiny the series has faced online in recent years has also shaped how some former judges and collaborators discuss their time on the show. In an era when older reality television is being reevaluated through a modern lens, several former on-air personalities have publicly distanced themselves from aspects of the production. Observers say that shift reflects the pressure many figures associated with early-2000s television now face as past moments are reexamined in the social media era.

Behind-the-Scenes Claims Are Being Reexamined

The Netflix documentary has also reignited debate about what actually happened behind the scenes.

One widely discussed moment comes when longtime creative director Jay Manuel suggests that Banks sometimes chose unflattering photos of contestants in order to influence eliminations.

Several people familiar with the production emphatically say that claim does not reflect how the photo-selection process worked. Early in the series, Manuel was involved in selecting images from each shoot in his role as creative director. However, individuals involved in the production say concerns were later raised internally about how some photos were being chosen, which led producers to shift that responsibility away from him.

In later cycles, the process became more collaborative. Photography post-production teams reviewed hundreds of images from each shoot and selected a group of strong options for each contestant. Those photos were then presented to Banks, who would make the final selection for judging.

People who worked on the show say the goal was always to choose images that best represented a contestant’s performance, sometimes selecting more editorial or fashion-forward shots rather than safer, traditionally “pretty” options in order to illustrate how high-fashion photography can differ from the more conventional images many viewers are used to seeing. People involved in the production say photos were never chosen to sabotage contestants or influence eliminations.

New TV Specials Could Shape the Narrative

The conversation surrounding Banks and America’s Next Top Model may expand further with E!’s upcoming docuseries Dirty Rotten Scandals, which is expected to examine controversies tied to the show.

Among the voices expected to appear are former judge Janice Dickinson and former contestant Lisa D’Amato, both outspoken critics of Banks.

Dickinson, who served as a judge during the show’s first four cycles, has made strong accusations about Banks’ leadership on the series. However, her relationship with the show has long been complicated.

After leaving the series, Dickinson publicly criticized Banks in several interviews. In later years, however, she acknowledged that many of those remarks were fueled by anger over losing her role.

In later interviews, Dickinson apologized for some of her earlier comments and credited America’s Next Top Model with helping revive her television career and introduce her to a new generation of viewers.

Lisa D’Amato, another critic who has spoken publicly about her experience on the show, has remained a controversial figure since her time on the series.

Supporters of Banks say relying heavily on a small group of outspoken detractors risks presenting a skewed picture of the show’s history, particularly when many former contestants and collaborators have shared positive experiences but are less visible in the current debate.

A Cultural Impact Still Being Revisited

More than twenty years after its debut, America’s Next Top Model remains one of the most influential reality shows of its era.

The series transformed modeling into mainstream entertainment and pushed conversations about diversity and representation into an industry that had long struggled with those issues.

As new documentaries and television specials revisit the show, debate about its legacy will likely continue. But for many who were part of the series, the bigger story is the doors it opened.

And the next chapter may belong to the woman who created the global franchise that pushed those doors open — and who may not be finished showing the world what comes next.