Share and Follow
America’s Next Top Model was once one of the most popular television shows, but not every contestant enjoyed all the “smize-ing.”
For 15 years, millions of viewers tuned in to watch the entertaining hit series America’s Next Top Model. While all the show’s drama kept people coming back for more, many of the contestants on the series didn’t find all the buzz as enjoyable. Years after the series ended, more and more models have opened up about the mistreatment from Tyra Banks and the rest of the production team.
Contestants have discussed being food and sleep-deprived, being lied to, and experiencing a great deal of trauma from working on the show. From the bullying that Jeana Turner and Angela Preston endured to the emotional abuse brought upon Lisa D’Amato, here are ANTM contestants that regret appearing on the show.
8/8 Lisa D’Amato Opened Up About The Emotional Abuse On Set
In 2021 the cycle five alum Lisa D’Amato posted a video to her social media accounts about the psychological abuse she experienced from working on ANTM. During her time on the show, Lisa D’Amato was forced to talk about the sexual and emotional abuse she encountered as a child. In her video, the model asked, “How do you sleep at night knowing you’re torturing and poking at peoples – girl’s childhood traumas?” which was directed towards Tyra Banks.
7/8 Jeana Turner Was Bullied For Modeling For Playboy
Jeana Turner revealed myriad information about the things going on behind the scenes at America’s Next Top Model. She was vocal about the editing that painted the model in a negative light and how the contestants were unable to leave their rooms without permission. Jeana Turner discussed how Tyra Banks bullied her, calling her a “prostitute” because she modeled for Playboy.
Read Related Also: Gigi Hadid’s Family Is Reportedly On Board With Her Leonardo DiCaprio Romance
6/8 Adrianne Curry Received Nothing But Broken Promises
The first contestant to win America’s Next Top Model in 2003, Adrianne Curry, blasted the television series via social media, referring to her experience as a “sh** show.” Years after the series aired, she explained that producers repeatedly broke their promises to the contestants. Adrianne Curry was supposed to receive $100,000 and begin modeling for Revlon following her achievement, but that has yet to happen. According to Adrianne Curry, Revlon told the winner that the makeup line never intended to bring anyone from the series to model for them.
5/8 Tyra Banks Screamed At Tiffany Richardson
Tyra Banks became a huge internet meme after screaming at contestant Tiffany Richardson. The host said lots of out-of-pocket things, and according to Tiffany Richardson, not everything that came out of Tyra Banks’ mouth aired on television. Tiffany Richardson revealed that it seemed like the models were just brought to the show to be humiliated and traumatized.
4/8 Sarah Hartshorne Was Body-Shamed On The Show
During cycle nine, contestant Sarah Hartshorne was deemed plus-size and would later be body-shamed by Tyra Banks and the rest of the hosts. The crew attempted to use her weight to break down her confidence. Later, the model would open up about the general mistreatment by ANTM’s production. Sarah Hartshorne revealed that contestants weren’t allowed to use microwaves, were never given the money promised to them for being on the show, and were left tired and hungry to exemplify drama.
The cycle three runner-up, Yaya DaCosta, may have regretted coming to the show. The Afro-Latina contestant was edited in a negative light that made her come off as condescending and rude on the television series. Plus, many of the hosts made racist comments toward the young model. One of the hosts told her, “You have this intensity to prove your sort of African-ness, and I think that sometimes it’s overbearing,” which stuck with Yaya DaCosta for years following her time on America’s Next Top Model.
2/8 Hannah Kat Jones Was Deceived
Contestant Hannah Kat Jones opened up about casting week for the television series, calling it an “emotional rollercoaster.” Contestants were tricked into thinking that they weren’t cast; later, they would learn that they would be on the show. Unfortunately, this led the models, especially Hannah Kat Jones, to question everything they were doing. In 2020, the model explained that the casting situation made her feel like every challenge and photo shoot was potentially a trick.
1/8 Tyra Banks Bullied Angelea Preston
It seems like Tyra Banks has a long history of bullying contestants on the hit television show. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what the host did to contestant Angelea Preston. The model was shamed for turning to sex work early in her career by the rest of the hosts, even though she only worked as an escort for three weeks. Angelea Preston would later reveal that Tyra Banks was not the mentor viewers see on television, adding that the ANTM host was never around the contestants unless the cameras were rolling.
