Jay Manuel Says His Biggest Regret on ANTM Was Not Protecting Contestants Enough
By Alexus Mosley
Former America’s Next Top Model creative director Jay Manuel is reflecting on his time on the long-running reality competition, and admitting there’s one thing he deeply regrets.
Following the release of Netflix’s Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, Manuel shared during a February 19 Q&A that he wishes he had done more to protect the contestants while working on the series.
“I wish that I could have drawn better boundaries,” he said, adding that he should have pushed back more against production decisions. According to Manuel, the most important part of his role should have been ensuring that models felt safe during often intense and controversial photoshoots.
Ultimately, my job should have been creating a safer space,” he explained. “And I should have pushed back on certain things a lot harder than I did.”
Manuel also spoke about why he initially joined the show, revealing that he agreed to be part of ANTM largely to support Tyra Banks. He described Banks as a Black model who fought her way to the top in an industry that frequently underpays and mistreats Black women. “We all went into it with great intentions,” Manuel said, though he admitted that the environment on set became more complicated as the show grew in popularity.
According to Manuel, he had more creative control over the photoshoots in the early seasons. However, by cycle four, sponsorships and network influence began shaping creative decisions, including controversial concepts like the widely criticized race-swapping photoshoot, which he says he did not control. By cycle eight, Manuel said he felt it was time to leave the series. However, his attempt to have an honest conversation with Banks about stepping away did not go as he hoped.
“It should’ve been the opportunity to have a heart-to-heart,” he shared in the documentary. “But that did not happen.”
When asked to return for cycle nine, Manuel admitted he feared being blacklisted in the industry if he declined. He also recalled that while filming continued professionally, his off-camera relationship with Banks became strained. “On camera, we learned to play, laugh,” he said. “But it was clear I was not allowed to speak with her outside of that.”
Years later, Manuel says watching the docuseries forced him to confront the impact of his role on the show, and the responsibility he feels he should have taken on more seriously at the time.