J. Alexander, a fashion insider known as “Miss J,” became a household name as the runway coach on America’s Next Top Model. Now, he is unable to show off his signature walk after suffering a stroke.
“I taught models how to walk and now I can’t walk,” Miss J said on the new Netflix documentary series Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model.
The three-part docuseries began streaming on Monday, Feb. 16, and offers a look behind the scenes at the controversial reality show.
Popularly referred to as the “Queen of the Catwalk,” Miss J rose to prominence after coaching supermodels Naomi Campbell and Kimora Lee Simmons. He also worked for Valentino, Chanel, Alexander McQueen and other fashion houses.
On ANTM, he taught aspiring models how to work the runway and appeared on more than ten cycles of the show.
But just over three years ago, everything changed.
“On December 27th of 2022, I had a stroke. I woke up, I didn’t know where I was, other than in the hospital,” he shared.
The New York native, born Alexander Jenkins, learned he had spent five weeks in a coma.
“I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t talk. And I thought to myself, what was I going to do?” he said. “It was emotional. I cried. I’m not ashamed to say that I cried.”
His former co-workers, ANTM creative director Jay Manuel and fashion photographer Nigel Barker, came to visit him at the hospital.
In an emotional moment, Jay and Nigel were shown taking a selfie with Miss J.
“I don’t know whether he even wanted me to see him in that way. I was gonna go see him. And that was just a terrible shock and really upsetting and horrifying and scary,” Barker said. “When he saw me, he was happy to see me and the two of us cried together. I held him.”
Manuel added, “I could feel how upset he was for sure. I can only imagine where he was in his mind.”
A producer asked Miss J if ANTM creator and host, Tyra Banks, had come to visit.
“She just sent me a text, that she wants to come and visit me. But um, no, not yet,” he said.
Miss J, 67, said he desperately misses the runway and wants to get back to work.
“I’m determined to walk. I’m sure you’re gonna see me again, I’m sure. It’s not over for me yet,” he said.
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