Eva Marcille, winner of a cycle of "America's Next Top Model," has publicly defended Tyra Banks, her former mentor and manager, amidst Banks' defamation lawsuit against Netflix over the docuseries "Reality Check." The lawsuit, filed on June 13, targets Netflix, EverWonder Studio, and directors Daniel Sivan and Mor Loushy.
During a segment on Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live," Marcille was asked to share three positive attributes about Banks. She responded, "Tyra is always fierce. She was always right and she's always on top." When questioned about the docuseries, Marcille expressed reluctance, stating, "We don't have enough time, Andy." She affirmed her support for Banks, adding, "I am pro Tyra." Marcille characterized the docuseries as "shady boots," alleging it was unbalanced and biased. She also noted that she was not contacted for participation, suggesting it would have contradicted the series' narrative.
Despite her current defense, Marcille previously described "Reality Check" as "amazingly horrifying" in February, expressing awareness of alleged instances of sexual assault and eating disorders among contestants on "America's Next Top Model." She told CBS Mornings that Banks had apologized multiple times, but acknowledged that "an apology to the person that you wronged is only as good as they could appreciate it," and that "there is no sorry... big enough to truly feel and heal that kind of hurt."
Marcille, who was the shortest contestant in her "America's Next Top Model" season, credited Banks with launching her career. She won Cycle 3 of the UPN modeling competition in 2004 at age 19, securing a $100,000 contract with CoverGirl, a Ford Models contract, and an appearance on the cover of Elle Magazine. She later made guest appearances on subsequent seasons of the show.
Banks' lawsuit claims that the docuseries engaged in "selective editing, deliberate omission, and surgical manipulation of continuous footage" to create a misleading portrayal. The lawsuit states that Banks took accountability and apologized in "Reality Check," but these efforts were allegedly not included in the final cut. Banks' legal team asserts that she has suffered significant harm to her personal brand, which she has cultivated over decades. Banks herself is quoted in the docuseries acknowledging her actions, stating, "I knew I went too far. It was very, very intense. But you guys were demanding it, so we kept pushing more and more and more."
The lawsuit also notes that Banks was not given opportunities to ask follow-up questions, address critics, or was she made aware of all participants. She was reportedly not shown the completed special until the day before its release.
The "America's Next Top Model" series, which ran for 24 seasons from 2003 to 2018, was known for various challenges and makeovers, some of which drew criticism. Banks did not appear sympathetic to former judge and runway coach Miss J. Alexander, who claimed he did not receive visits from her after suffering a stroke in 2022 that left him paralyzed.