Celebrity3 min(s) read
The one 'painful' topic that was strictly off-limits for Tyra Banks in bombshell America's Next Top Model documentary
Tyra Banks, the trailblazer behind the groundbreaking reality series America's Next Top Model, addressed several tough subjects in the new Netflix docuseries Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model.
But when it came to her relationship with the show’s former creative director, Jay Manuel, she drew the line, refusing to delve into the details.
Tyra Banks Refuses to Discuss Her Tense Relationship with Jay Manuel
In the three-episode series directed by Daniel Sivan and Mor Loushy, Banks was candid about her journey, the challenges of the show, and its lasting impact.
However, one topic she refused to touch upon was her complicated relationship with Manuel, who had gone from her personal makeup artist to the series’s creative director.
Daniel Sivan revealed to Deadline that while Banks was open to discussing nearly everything, her association with Manuel was a sensitive subject.
"The fact that she said, 'I don't want to talk about it'… is a powerful answer," Sivan commented. "It wasn’t dodging the bullet. It was saying, 'This is still painful.'"
In the docuseries, Banks only briefly referenced Manuel, suggesting that she should call him at some point, but she made no further comments about the strained relationship.
Jay Manuel Reflects on the Fallout
Jay Manuel, who worked with Banks throughout the show’s earlier cycles, shared his side of the story in the same Netflix docuseries.
According to Manuel, things took a turn for the worse in 2007 when he sent an email expressing his intention to leave America's Next Top Model after the eighth cycle. His message was met with a cold response from Banks, and their relationship seemed to falter from that point on.
Manuel recalled that Banks’s reply came three days later, consisting of just three words: "I am disappointed."
This brief response marked a pivotal moment in their professional relationship. "After that email exchange, all communication just stopped," Manuel explained. "It should’ve been the opportunity to have a heart-to-heart, but that did not happen."
Though Manuel returned for the following cycle, cycle nine, he claimed that Banks would only engage with him in front of the camera. "It was like we were strangers," he said, emphasizing the emotional toll this had on him.
The Emotional Toll on Jay Manuel
Speaking to People earlier this month, Manuel described his feelings of devastation during his time on the show. He admitted he was "so broken by the end of that cycle because of the mental torture of what was going on."
Despite his exit from the series in 2012, Manuel revealed that Banks had never reached out to him after their fallout.
Reflecting on his time with the show, Manuel expressed mixed emotions. "Do I regret being on America’s Next Top Model? Absolutely not," he stated in an interview with Interview Magazine.
"I own it. But I wish I had a better sense of boundaries and the ability to help create a truly safe environment for all of the girls."