Under the runway lights and beautiful photoshoots, "America's Next Top Model" was more than a contest of beauty and grace only.

There are a number of ex-contestants who are now sharing stories about fatigue due to the tight schedules, undergoing physical changes, resulting in their mental state being under so much stress that they were left both physically and emotionally bruised. Meanwhile, as viewers watched glamorous drama on TV, it was actually a tough endurance test at behind the scenes.

Tyra Banks, the executive producer and host of the show, speaks about some of these issues in the newly released Netflix docuseries "Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model." The show features interviews with catwalk coach J Alexander (Miss Jay), creative director Jay Manuel, photographer Nigel Barker, and producer Ken Mok.

Banks, 52, acknowledged that she "knew [she] went too far" and admitted she "kept pushing more and more and more" in an effort to give fans the excitement they expected.

Extreme Hunger and Sleep Deprivation on Set

Adrianne Curry, winner of cycle one, told the Daily Mail that contestants "were weighed every single morning" and endured long periods without food.

"Catering was always 'on the way.' And now I know that it was psychological warfare. I think they knew that the more sleep deprived and hungry and f****d up we were, the better television would be."

Curry recalled that sleep deprivation was equally harsh: "We wouldn't be allowed to go to sleep until after elimination, which sometimes would last until three in the morning. And then they'd have a personal trainer run in and wake us up at like 5am."

The contestants' hunger and exhaustion, Curry believes, were deliberate: "I think they knew that the more sleep deprived and hungry and f****d up we were, the better television would be."

Marvin Cortes, who appeared on the first co-ed season in 2013, described similar tactics.

He recalled to the outlet that food was often served right before shoots, a timing he said discouraged contestants from eating: "Every model knows you're not supposed to eat right before a shoot, so we would basically not eat ... they would give us stuff at the worst possible time. I don't know if that was coordinated."

Cortes, who finished second to Jourdan Miller, added that the daily $60 food allowance was insufficient since contestants were not paid for appearing on the show, forcing them to make sacrifices to cover bills back home.

Dangerous Makeovers and Physical Strain

Hair transformations were among the most infamous aspects of "America's Next Top Model." Curry recounted having six inches of her hair cut into a "razored bob" before a weave was applied, leaving her with painful open sores.

"I had like open sores, and my skin was crawling off my body. I was so uncomfortable the entire time," she said. Even years later, Curry avoids hair salons, letting her gray hair grow naturally.

Psychological Pressure and 'Fear Challenges'

Cortes described how contestants were often pushed to confront their deepest fears for television drama.

One assignment involved contestants being submerged underwater despite known phobias: "Surprise, surprise, when we do the challenge, [contestants] would freak out ... They would do that with everybody."

"They would try to figure out — are you afraid of roaches? Are you afraid of spiders? OK, let's do a spider challenge. It just became, how much can we rattle these people to get the best TV possible?"

He also noted lapses in post-show support, saying that the show's therapist "called me [in] the car, while she's in traffic ... like, 'Oh, you made it really far. You should be proud. Are you OK like mentally and everything?' and I was like, 'Well, kind of but you know...'"

Cortes added that "they never reached back out to me," leaving him feeling unsupported once filming wrapped.

Executive producer Ken Mok said on the documentary, "We treated Top Model as a documentary ... there are going to be cameras on you 24/7, day in and day out, and they're going to cover everything, the good, the bad and the in-between."

He emphasized that not every moment was shown on TV, and Banks added, "I'm not head of story ... it's important for people to know that we didn't put everything on TV."

Mixed Perspectives from Judges and Crew

Speaking to the Daily Mail, former judge Kelly Cutrone defended the series, saying she "never once saw a model being abused" and described it as "like Willy Wonka ... you got the golden ticket" for those who succeeded.

Stylist Ty-Ron Mayes called Banks a "true artist" and suggested the harsh experiences prepared contestants for the realities of the fashion industry, acknowledging that some challenges "didn't age well," such as the controversial race-swapping task.

Cortes noted that while Banks treated male contestants better and "did as much as she could to protect us," he remains skeptical about the timing of the Netflix series, suggesting that it aligns with promotional efforts for her ice cream SMiZE & DREAM and Manuel's 2020 book The Wig, the B***h, and the Meltdown.

"Tyra doesn't do stuff without a plan," he said, speculating that a potential cycle 25 revival could be in the works.

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America's next top model, Tyra banks