HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

Where is Janice Dickinson now? Director explains feature judge's absence from ‘America’s Next Top Model’ docu

Janice Dickinson skips the ‘Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model,’ but her shadow looms large over Netflix’s documentary series.

Back when ‘America’s Next Top Model’ ruled weeknights and dorm room conversations, it wasn’t just about smizing or runway walks. It was also about the judges, those larger-than-life personalities on the panel, tossing praise one second and slicing egos the next. And right there in the middle of it all was Janice Dickinson. The judging table looked like casting magic with Tyra Banks at the helm, and J. Alexander offering critiques alongside Jay Manuel, Nigel Barker, and Dickinson, a former supermodel. Dickinson was the one who would say what others probably thought but were too careful to voice.

In the new three-part docuseries, ‘Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model’, which premiered on February 16 on Netflix, viewers get a look at the phenomenon that ran for 24 cycles between 2003 and 2016. The series revisits the making of the show, the cultural footprint it left behind, and the complicated conversations that have followed it for years. But one iconic figure is missing. Dickinson does not appear in ‘Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model’ to offer her current outlook. That’s because she wasn’t available to shoot. Even though Dickinson only sat on the panel during the first four cycles, those years helped shape the tone of the show.

“We would’ve absolutely loved to interview Janice. She’s bigger than life. Unfortunately, she was tied up on another documentary,” director Daniel Sivan told Tudum. “The beauty of social media today is [that] I am absolutely sure we’ll be hearing all of the sordid comments in the next few weeks. So I personally am staying tuned.” Her former co-judges had their own reactions to her absence. Miss J. Alexander stated, “Oh, she’s not going to be a part of the doc? Poor Janice D. Even though I would have loved to hear her retro takes on it as well.” Barker, meanwhile, chose his words carefully, reflecting on what Dickinson brought to those early seasons. 

“She was a force of nature on that judging panel, bringing an unpredictable energy and raw honesty that was essential to the show’s early DNA. Even though she was only there for the first four cycles, her impact was seismic. She didn’t just participate in the show — she defined an era of it. And let’s be real: There’s only one Janice Dickinson. She’s irreplaceable, unforgettable, and utterly singular,” he expressed. He added, “Would I have loved to hear her reflections in the doc? Without question. But in some ways, her voice still echoes through every moment she created.”

The format was simple on paper: a group of aspiring models from across the United States moved into a shared house, competed in photo shoots and challenges, and faced weekly eliminations. Created by Banks and developed alongside Ken Mok and Kenya Barris, the series became a pop culture juggernaut. Now, the docuseries brings together Banks, Mok, Manuel, Alexander, and Barker for new interviews. Former contestants and winners, including Whitney Thompson, Giselle Samson, Shannon Stewart, Shandi Sullivan, Dani Evans, and Keenyah Hill, also step back into the spotlight to share their experiences.