Jay Manuel Doesn’t Miss His Friendship With Tyra Banks

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A surprising detail from the Netflix documentary Reality Check, about America’s Next Top Model, is the strained relationship between Jay Manuel and Tyra Banks. After season eight, Manuel tried to leave the show, but Banks reportedly wouldn’t allow it, fearing he’d be blacklisted from the industry. The documentary asked Banks about the falling-out, but she dismissed the topic, saying she would simply call Manuel to discuss it.

That hasn’t happened. “My phone number is the same. She knows it,” Manuel said while speaking with Entertainment Tonight after the docuseries aired. “I haven’t gotten a phone call, but I don’t think I will get that phone call, to be honest with you. And I’m not expecting it.” The last time Manuel spoke to Banks was in 2017, according to People. “If I never spoke to Tyra again in this lifetime, I’m okay with that,” Manuel added to Entertainment Tonight. When asked if he missed his friendship with Banks, he was blunt: “I don’t.”

Manuel wasn’t the only person from Top Model who Tyra Banks had seemingly promised to reconnect with. Miss J. Alexander shared in a recent interview that Banks called him three weeks ago, expressing a desire to visit. He agreed, but she hasn’t come yet, and he suspects she’s waiting for someone to cover travel expenses. Luckily, Manuel, Alexander, and photographer Nigel Barker have been supporting each other as they work through their disagreements from the show.

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2026-02-20 01:53