Where Is Keenyah Hill From America's Next Top Model Now?
In episode two of the new Netflix documentary Reality Check, Banks directly apologises for how the situation was handled, acknowledging that the responsibility should never have fallen on Hill.“I was trying to empower her with the information that I had,” Banks explains. “I felt like that was empowering her based on the information I had. I thought that was the best advice, but it should have been, ‘Stop,’ down. And that’s what would happen today.”She continues, “We all now understand the protections that women need, so I say to Keenyah, boo boo, I am so sorry. None of us knew. Network executives didn’t know, and I did the best that I could at that time. But she deserved more. She did.”However, there’s criticism of Banks’ framing, as she repeatedly emphasises that no one knew how to provide protection despite her authority role at the time.Nigel Barker, photographer and former model who was also on the judging panel critiquing Hill’s performance, reflects on his earlier judgment in Reality Check.“Some of those things are also kind of a reality of the world, unfortunately,” Barker says. “In the fashion industry, there’s always been a lot of issues with, you know, sort of harassment. In any shape or way, whether you’re a male or female model. And not everyone is going to handle the same situation in the same way, but you as an individual should be able to stand up for yourself and say, ‘Hey, no, this isn’t working,’ or figure it out and get the job done. There were people — cameras — everywhere!”Read MoreThe patriarchal grip on beauty standards is stronger than ever.The documentary paints a broader picture of the pressures contestants faced: body-shaming storylines, toxic production demands and the blurry line between “good TV” and contestant well-being.Hill recounts feeling she had to “fend for myself” during the uncomfortable moment with Heumegni, who was captured on camera asking for her phone number and pressing over her shoulder while dancing.“Mind you, they all have just this teeny tiny little piece of loincloth covering their members. Bertini was touching me, grabbing me; I felt he was taking advantage of the moment to touch me,” Hill recalls. “I remember thinking to myself, What would Tyra do in this situation? Tyra would politely and professionally stop the shoot and let everyone know that she feels a little uncomfortable. So, that’s exactly what I did. I didn’t get the response I thought I was going to get. The looks on their faces were just like, How dare you stop our production!”She concludes, “To be on a TV set in front of so many people and still not be protected is some pretty dark stuff.”© 2026 Netflix, Inc.Hill is thriving in her post-ANTM world, taking the lessons she learned on the runway and turning them into a platform for empowerment.
