What The Judges Of America's Next Top Model Have Been Up To Since The Show Ended

Unscripted TV shows were an entirely different beast in the early 2000s. The format was still nascent, and in retrospect, some of the ideas and the execution were ... problematic. Still, some of them were entertaining as heck, and they became unbelievably successful. One such show was "America's Next Top Model," Tyra Banks' brainchild that had just about everyone in the nation with a TV captivated each week.

And what was it about the show that was so captivating? A group of young women, all aspiring to be superstar models, were competing for the grand prize of cash and a contract with a top modeling agency. To win that prize, they took on a series of challenges that were supposedly designed to give them a sense of what they might encounter in the professional modeling world. The show peeled back some of the mystery of a notoriously exclusive industry, and it was fascinating. Making the show that much more enjoyable was a panel of judges, led by Banks, offering insight and making suggestions on how the models could improve. The judges were as much part of the fabric of "America's Next Top Model" as anyone. Here's what they've been up to since the show ended.

Tyra Banks is proud of the work she's done in the modeling world, including creating "America's Next Top Model," but she has since set her sights on a totally different industry. "I know I broke down a lot of doors for women of color ... and to me, that's in a museum ... But the legacy, the real legacy, I want it to be ice cream, I really do," Banks said on an episode of "The Jemaine Plane" podcast. In 2021, Banks opened her first ice cream shop, called Smize & Dream (a nod to the word she famously coined meaning "smile with your eyes") in Santa Monica, and since then she's moved to Sydney, Australia, where she launched another ice cream store location. She's also developed a hot ice cream, which she calls Hot Smize Cream.

Anyone unclear about what hot ice cream is isn't alone. But Banks has been doing her best to educate the public. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Banks said of her product, "It is thick, it's rich, it's velvety, it's liquid. So many people think it's fried ice cream ... I am an ice cream expert." Banks continued by noting that the hot ice cream is not fried ice cream, a hot milkshake, nor crèam anglaise. Still, confusion around the product persists, but Banks is fine with that. She has plans to expand her burgeoning ice cream empire, and she doesn't mind if others copy her hot ice cream idea.

Most of the core group from the early cycles of "America's Next Top Model" were included in the docuseries "Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model," but one judge was noticeably missing: Janice Dickinson. Dickinson was a judge on the show's first seven cycles, and though she was controversial at times, no one could deny that the self-proclaimed "world's first supermodel"  knew her way around the modeling industry. After she left "Top Model," Dickinson continued with her career as she had before, modeling, acting, and making frequent television appearances. Dickinson went on to produce and star in her own reality TV show, "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency," and she competed on various series, like "Celebrity Big Brother."

Unfortunately, not every television appearance went so well for Dickinson. In 2023, Dickinson appeared on 15 episodes of "I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! South Africa." In 2025, the model sued ITV, the British television network, after reportedly suffering an injury on the set of the reality series. The legal dispute has yet to be resolved.

Kimora Lee Simmons' stint on "America's Next Top Model" didn't last long. She was a judge for the show's first season, and she returned for just a single episode several seasons later. "Top Model" was only the beginning of her reality TV career. One of her most notable projects was her reality series "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane," which aired for four seasons in the late 2000s. The show followed the model and designer as she managed her career and her three eldest kids. While the show was airing, Kimora and her ex-husband, Russell Simmons, divorced after separating just before the series started. After that, she had some more high-profile relationships and continued to expand her family. Kimora Lee Simmons, now a mom of five children, returned to the world of reality TV in 2025 to document motherhood and more with her new series "Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane."

For Kimora, returning to reality TV was about more than just expanding her brand or making more money. "I think it's important that you can see people on television that you identify with, that you look up to, or you're kind of into what they're doing," she said in an interview with Forbes. And the mogul believes reality TV can be done tastefully. "I don't think it needs to be in a train-wreck-y way to make the viewer or someone else feel better. You don't need to be a train wreck. You don't need to be faux fabulous. You don't need to do anything that makes you feel bad," she said.

Even though many "America's Next Top Model" stories ended in tragedy, the show was a massive success, and its format was replicated around the world for international editions of the show. During and after his time with "America's Next Top Model," judge and photographer Nigel Barker took his services across the globe, serving as a guest judge and a photographer for other "Top Model" series, including installments set in Mexico, Britain, and Australia. Barker has also continued working as a photographer, and in 2018, he served as a judge for "Curvy Supermodel," a Dutch reality series similar to "Top Model" featuring plus-size models.

In 2026, Barker joined some prior "America's Next Top Model" judges, hosts, producers, and contestants from the Netflix documentary series "Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model." The documentary examined the reality series' success, and it dug into some of the more problematic moments from its initial run, as well as the negative impact it had on a number of contestants. However, there are many people who watched the docuseries who believe Tyra Banks didn't take enough accountability for the reality show's major missteps.

When he appeared on an episode of "Sherri" in 2026 alongside fellow judge J. Alexander and creative director Jay Manuel, Barker insinuated that Banks could've owned up to a lot more in the docuseries. "I'm not her publicist ... but that being said, I think the reality is in how we approached it is just to be absolutely honest with it," he said. "It's okay to admit that you made a mistake. It's okay to say, 'I'm sorry.' It's okay to go, 'It wasn't right.'" 

J. Alexander was a fan favorite on "America's Next Top Model." The runway coach taught the contestants how to walk, and his commentary on the hopeful models' photos had audiences in stitches. Alexander was an integral part of "America's Next Top Model," and while he was working on the show, he also brought his expertise to some of the other "Top Model" series around the world. After being fired from "America's Next Top Model," Alexander continued working in the fashion industry as he had before and during his off-time from "Top Model," including teaching at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

In 2022, Alexander's life was turned upside-down. The runway coach suffered a stroke, which left him paralyzed for a time and in the hospital for 17 subsequent months. In Netflix's 2026 three-part series "Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model," Alexander opened up about his recovery from the stroke. "I taught models how to walk," he said. "And now I can't walk." Alexander remained hopeful that he'll walk again one day, adding, "I'm sure you're gonna see me again. I'm sure. It's not over for me yet." Aiding in his recovery efforts, a GoFundMe page was launched for Alexander, seeking $50,000 to help cover his medical bills, living expenses, and more.

Long before she took her post as a judge on "America's Next Top Model," Twiggy was a bona fide fashion legend. The style icon that is Twiggy had a spot on the panel of "Top Model" judges for five cycles, sharing expertise she had gained from years as a top model herself. Since leaving the show, Twiggy's been busy doing much of what she was doing before the show, as well as some new ventures, like working on television, making music, launching a fashion line, and, of course, modeling. In 2026, for example, Twiggy was one of the faces of a Burberry campaign ad.

In 2025, a documentary about Twiggy's life called "Twiggy" was released. Two years before that, a musical about her life, called "Twiggy the Musical," was produced. "The first time I went to see [the musical], I cried the whole way through. It made me think, 'I've really done quite a lot with my life, haven't I?'" Twiggy said in a 2025 interview with Harper's Bazaar. "Looking back at it all, it's almost like watching somebody else," she said.

Paulina Porizkova was another modeling legend who joined the panel of judges on "America's Next Top Model." The Czech-American model was on the show for cycles 10, 11, and 12. After her time on the series ended, Porizkova continued making television appearances and acting. She still models professionally, and Porizkova still writes, just as she had before she started with "America's Next Top Model." In 2022, she released "No filter: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful," a collection of essays.

Porizkova was one of several judges whose voice was not heard in the 2026 docuseries "Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model." However, around the same time the doc hit Netflix, Porizkova took to Instagram to share some of the horrors she faced as a model. "I've lost count of the amount of men in open bathrobes who greeted me in their hotel rooms or apartments where I have been sent by an agency or clients," Porizkova said of the harassment she faced when she was younger.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

By the time Kelly Cutrone joined "America's Next Top Model" as a judge, many audience members were already familiar with her from two other iconic reality series. On "The Hills" and "The City," Cutrone was the boss of both Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port. Since stepping away from "America's Next Top Model," Cutrone has spilled secrets about her work in the reality TV world. 

Regarding "America's Next Top Model," Cutrone took to the comment section of Instagram to call out series creative director Jay Manuel for his alleged poor behavior on set. "[Manuel] was so incredibly rude to me my first day on the show — he come [sic] up to me and said — welcome to the show — you are in the ejector seat ( meaning anyone who sat in that seat — Andre [Leon Talley] etc) wA [sic] fired — oddly enough he was does [sic] at the end of that season," she wrote, per Entertainment Weekly.

In a video posted to TikTok by one of Cutrone's new interns, the fashion expert shared that some of the storylines on "The Hills" were completely fabricated. When asked who her favorite intern was between the new intern, Conrad, Port, and Stephanie Pratt, Cutrone revealed that the three "Hills" stars were never actually employed by her, but rather by MTV, much to the surprise of the comments section.

Ashley Graham joined "America's Next Top Model" as a judge for the 23rd and 24th cycles. Graham had been working as a model for well over a decade by that point, and she had already achieved career highlights like posing for the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover. Needless to say, she arrived at "Top Model" already a star. And when "Top Model" ended, she kept on working in the entertainment industry. She has landed television gigs (Graham was the host of HGTV's "Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge"), continued to model, and expanded her business portfolio. For example, in 2025, Graham released a clothing line exclusively through JCPenney, and the sizes went up to 5X for more size inclusivity.

In 2026, Graham launched her own brand of Lambrusco wine called Lucci. "I've been building so many things, but I've never had full ownership. I still have a few projects in the oven, but this is the first baby I'm so excited to bring into the world," Graham said to Elle in an interview about the business venture. Despite being a celebrity, Graham faced some challenges in entering the winemaking world. "The first surprise was how quickly people said no. They weren't open to a new take on Lambrusco," she said. But the challenge didn't dissuade Graham. "I actually love walking into spaces where people think I don't belong, like being on Broadway. That tension doesn't scare me," she said.

Law Roach is one of the most well-respected and well-known stylists in Hollywood today. He's dressed celebrities such as Celine Dion, Kerry Washington, Hunter Schafer, Megan Thee Stallion, Ariana Grande, Bella Hadid, and more. And, of course, he's dressed Zendaya for nearly every major red carpet moment she's had for the majority of her career. Thanks to his credits, it was a no-brainer when he joined the panel of judges for cycles 23 and 24 of "America's Next Top Model." His work on the show ended with the show's cancellation, but Roach found his way onto the panel of judges for other reality competition series, like "Legendary," "Project Runway," and a few variations of "RuPaul's Drag Race."

Both the fashion and entertainment industries came to a halt one day in 2023 when Roach announced that he was retiring from styling. His announcement required some clarity, so in an interview with The Cut, Roach said, "I'm not retiring from fashion, because I love it so much. But styling, in the way that I've been of service to other people, I'm retiring from that." As for the reason why, Roach quipped, "Isn't it always best to leave when you're on the top? I think the real reason is that it's been building for a while because, you know, I looked up one day and honestly realized that I'm not happy." In 2025, he announced that he was coming out of retirement and would be styling stars once again.

"America's Next Top Model" has almost always been hosted and judged by Tyra Banks, but when the model nearly quit the show and reduced her duties for cycle 23, someone new had to step in. That person was Rita Ora, British musician and actor. Ora only held the esteemed hosting and judging position for 15 episodes of "Top Model," and her career seemed to pick up where she left it after the gig was up. She continued singing and acting, and she found more hosting jobs on reality shows, including but not limited to the UK and US versions of "The Masked Singer."

In 2024, Ora, along with her business partner, launched a hair care brand called Typebea. The host has personal experience with hair loss and damage, which inspired her to seek out products that could salvage her tresses. "I was doing anything for the look, and I was almost like not even caring about hair health," she told People. "I love changing up my hair and I'd do anything to commit to a look. But the more I was in the industry, the more I realized all this constant changing of color was just horrible and I didn't have any hair left." The range includes styling creams and serums, as well as products that aim to support growth and treat weakened hair.