Tyra Banks in the new Netflix documentary about the history of “America’s Next Top Model”

Why is everyone suddenly talking about Tyra Banks again? This question has been circulating on social media for the past few weeks.

Maybe it’s because people tend to forget the groundbreaking moments in fashion history. In 1996, Banks became the first African American woman to appear on the cover of GQ.

Lights on the runway and streaming – why are we talking about Tyra Banks again

“It was more than just a photo shoot – it was a breakthrough, shattering barriers that had seemed insurmountable for decades.”

Now, almost 30 years later, her name is everywhere again. Since 08.11. 2025, there’s been a real explosion of interest—over 50,000 tweets per week on platform X. That’s no coincidence.

Honestly, I’m not sure if it’s nostalgia for the 2000s or something else entirely. Maybe it’s the rumors about some Netflix project? People love to speculate.

In Poland, the topic takes on a special significance. Reality shows are experiencing a renaissance, and “Top Model Polska” still draws viewers. Banks, as a pioneer of the genre, has become a symbol of something bigger than just entertainment television.

It’s fascinating how her story resonates with the present day. Social media have transformed the way we perceive celebrities from the past. A younger audience is rediscovering her achievements, while the older generation reminisces about iconic moments from “America’s Next Top Model.”

The question is: what’s really behind this sudden return to the media spotlight?

Some claim it’s a carefully planned marketing campaign. Others point to the natural cycle of pop culture. The truth probably lies somewhere in between, though it’s hard to say for sure.

Still, it’s worth checking how much of this speculation is based on facts, and how much is just rumor.

Rumors vs. facts – what do we know about the alleged Netflix documentary

The rumor about a Netflix documentary on Tyra Banks first surfaced on October 17, 2025, on platform X. Someone posted that apparently Netflix was planning a production about the model and host. It sounded quite plausible—after all, Banks is an entertainment industry icon.

The problem is, more than three weeks have passed since then. As of November 8, 2025, no official source has confirmed this information. That’s the first red flag.

I checked the main production databases. IMDbPro—nothing. Production Weekly—also empty. These sites usually pick up even the earliest stages of project planning very quickly. When major studios like Netflix start working on a documentary, the news tends to get out fast.

However, the most telling is the response given by the Netflix spokesperson to Deadline. The quote is literally: “Currently no project in development.” That’s a clear position. Netflix rarely comments on rumors, but when they do, their statements are precise.

Some people might argue that studios sometimes hide projects in their early stages. That’s true, but it mainly applies to major film releases. Biographical documentaries are rarely surrounded by such secrecy. Besides, Netflix has a transparency strategy in its communications—they prefer to officially announce new productions to generate media buzz.

The facts are clear—there is currently no official documentary project about Tyra Banks.

I’m curious, though, why this particular rumor spread so widely. Banks truly has a fascinating story —from modeling to business. It’s only natural that people would want to see a documentary about her. Maybe that’s why the rumor sounded so believable.

Now that we know there’s no official project, it’s worth considering what such a hypothetical documentary could look like.

Potential movie scenario – key chapters of Banks’ career

Good storytelling is the foundation of every documentary. Netflix knows this better than anyone. If they ever decided to make a film about Tyra Banks, they’d have enough material for several seasons. Her life is a ready-made script full of plot twists.

I remember watching “America’s Next Top Model” and wondering what was really happening behind the scenes. Now, knowing more details about her career, I see that was just the tip of the iceberg.

Chapter 1: “The Child Who Grew Up Too Fast”

This segment would probably be the most personal. At just 11 years old, Tyra lost 13 kg in a very short time. Doctors suspected gigantism. It sounds like the start of a medical thriller, but it was her reality. The Banks family lived in fear for months. Imagine that little girl at endless doctor’s appointments, tests, uncertainty.

This story also shows how early she learned to handle pressure. Maybe that’s why she later understood the girls on her show so well?

Chapter 2: “The Paris Marathon”

1991, Paris Fashion Week. A young Banks takes on the challenge— 25 shows in one week. That’s almost four shows a day. No one had ever done anything like that before. Film studios love these moments—montages of quick shots, outfit changes, running between locations.

No one really documented that week. There were only photos from the shows, but the backstage remained a mystery. Perfect material for a retrospective documentary.

Chapter 3: “The Television Breakthrough”

“America’s Next Top Model” introduced plus-size models in cycle 4 in 2005. It sounds like a small change, but it was a revolution. Tyra fought with producers for months. They wanted standard girls, she insisted on diversity.

That conflict could be the heart of the entire film. Footage from castings, conversations with producers, first reactions from viewers. All of it could be recreated through interviews with people who were there.

Chapter 4: “A Businesswoman with Grit”

Smize Cream in 2021 was just the beginning. Who would have thought the brand would reach a value of 12 million USD by 2025? Tyra went from model to presenter to true entrepreneur.

This segment would show her as someone unafraid of risk. Investments, failures, successes—it all adds up to a portrait of a modern businesswoman.

The whole film could end with a scene from her current life. Maybe in her office, maybe at home. No grand speeches, just showing where she is now. That would be a natural ending—not a fake happy ending, just real life.

Netflix loves stories like this. Full of ups and downs, with concrete numbers and facts. Tyra Banks has everything they need for a great documentary.

Star Documentaries in Netflix’s Strategy – A Place for the Model’s Story

Netflix has a tried-and-true formula for celebrity documentaries. Just look at the numbers—”Black Barbie” from 2024 was watched by 7.4 million households in its first month. That’s a solid result, though not a record-breaking one.

The budgets are even more interesting. Last year, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Netflix spends an average of $3–5 million on a 90-minute film about a celebrity. That’s not a small amount, but in the context of the platform’s overall strategy, it’s just a drop in the ocean.

The real trend is visible in diversity—the share of stories about women of color increased by 32% between 2022 and 2024.

Tyra Banks would fit perfectly into this mosaic. She has it all—a groundbreaking modeling career, a reality show that changed television, a beauty business. Plus, she’s a woman of color in an industry that for a long time was dominated by white beauty standards.

Netflix loves stories like this. Especially now, as it fights to retain subscribers during tougher times. Documentaries about celebrities are a safe bet—the fans will definitely watch, and the algorithm will recommend the film to a broader audience interested in fashion or pop culture.

I think a project about Banks has real potential. It won’t be a hit on the scale of the David Beckham series, but a steady 6-8 million viewers in the first month? That’s entirely possible. Especially since her story has international appeal—after all, “Top Model” aired all over the world.

The question remains: timing. Netflix plans its celeb-docs well in advance, so if such a project were to happen, we’d probably see it no sooner than 2026.

What’s next – possible directions and conclusions for the industry and viewers

Anna Delvey’s story proved that audiences are hungry for authentic tales about women walking the line between ambition and deception. Netflix holds material that could become the next cultural phenomenon.

Now, the key question is—what’s next? The industry faces decisions that will shape how we tell stories about modern antiheroines.

Polish distributors should be ready for any of these scenarios. The hype around similar productions can be leveraged through campaigns with fashion influencers who naturally blend luxury with authenticity. That’s no coincidence—their followers are exactly the group that followed the Banks case most closely.

Collaborating with personal finance experts also makes sense. They know how to explain complex scam mechanisms in a way that’s accessible to a broad audience.

Viewers interested in following the case have several ways to stay updated. Google Alerts for keywords related to the production are essential. It’s also worth following Banks’ official profiles—she often comments on media reports about projects concerning her.

Industry portals like Variety and Deadline publish updates on the production status, but you need to watch out for clickbait headlines. Not everything that sounds like confirmation actually is.

True crime podcasts are also an interesting source, as hosts often have first-hand information from documentary producers.

Ultimately, regardless of which scenario unfolds, one thing is certain—the story of Anna Delvey has opened a new category of tales about modern-day female con artists. These are no longer classic crime stories, but case studies of female ambition in the age of social media.

Are we ready for another wave of such stories, which force us to ask uncomfortable questions about the line between dreams and manipulation?

Nadia

fashion editor

Luxury Reporter