According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Banks filed a lawsuit seeking damages and a jury trial, claiming the series distorted her comments and damaged her reputation.
Banks Says Critical Context Was Removed
At the center of the lawsuit is Banks’ assertion that she participated in the documentary in good faith, expecting an open discussion about both the accomplishments and controversies surrounding “America’s Next Top Model.” Court filings state that she sat for an interview lasting more than three hours, yet only a small portion of that conversation appeared in the finished series.
Banks argues that the documentary excluded moments in which she addressed criticism of the show and accepted responsibility for decisions she would approach differently today. According to the filing, the final edit instead emphasized a narrative that she believes inaccurately portrayed her actions and responses.
One of the most serious allegations concerns the documentary’s treatment of former contestant Shandi Sullivan‘s account of events that occurred during the show’s second cycle. Banks contends that viewers were left with the impression that she either failed to remember Sullivan’s experience or dismissed it. The lawsuit maintains that the complete interview footage tells a different story and that portions supporting her response were removed before the episode aired.
Additional claims involve the documentary’s discussion of former judge Miss J. Alexander and his recovery following a stroke. Banks argues that she was not given a chance to respond to statements suggesting she had failed to reach out. The lawsuit alleges that she attempted to contact Alexander, exchanged messages with people close to him, and remained in communication with him in the years that followed.
Citing these and other examples, Banks is seeking compensation for alleged financial harm and emotional distress, while Netflix and the other defendants had not publicly responded to the claims at the time of filing.
