Eva Marcille was one of the most successful contestants to emerge from America’s Next Top Model.
Marcille, 41, was then known as Eva Pigford and won the cycle 3 competition of ANTM in 2004. Yet she was missing from the new Netflix documentary series, Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model.
In an interview on the Thursday, Feb. 19 episode of CBS Mornings, Marcille revealed she was never contacted by producers to appear on the docuseries.
“When I first found out there was a documentary, I was amazed. I remember reaching out to Jay Manuel like, ‘Is this the same Top Model that we did, because how don’t I know about this?'” Marcille said.
After learning more from former ANTM creative director and judge, Jay Manuel, she watched the docuseries like the rest of the country.
Eva Marcille, known as Eva Pigford on season 3 of “America’s Next Top Model,” which she won in 2004, says she was “gobsmacked” and “amazingly horrified” by the stories of other “ANTM” contestants detailed in a new documentary, “Reality Check.”
Marcille says her career is thanks,… pic.twitter.com/BOn46pyjRc
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) February 19, 2026
The model, actress, and Real Housewives of Atlanta alum said she was “amazingly horrified” by some of what she saw.
“After I watched it, I was gobsmacked. I was in awe. I told Jay my mouth was wide open. To be a part of a club and not know what’s going on in the club is crazy,” Marcille told host Gayle King.
“I had no idea, absolutely no idea,” she added about the allegations some of the former contestants made on the series, about being bullied, humiliated, and forced to undergo complicated dental procedures.
ANTM creator and host Tyra Banks said on the series, “I knew I went too far.”
Banks said she created the show to push for more diversity and “fight against the fashion industry.” But as Top Model became more popular, network executives pushed for the show to become more outrageous.
King pressed Marcille for details about Banks, but the reality TV veteran did not take the bait.
“I will always say, especially for Top Model — initially she set out to change the world, to change what the modeling industry looked like, sounded like, felt like, and expected. And she did that for me,” the Los Angeles native said.
Marcille won a modeling contract on the show, and worked on campaigns for CoverGirl, DKNY, Samsung, Red by Marc Ecko and Apple Bottoms, before pivoting to acting.
She currently stars on the popular BET+ drama series All the Queen’s Men. Season 5 is expected to premiere at some point this year, but according to creator Christian Keyes, the new season will be the show’s last.
Marcille has a new Lifetime movie premiering on Feb. 28 titled Pushed off a Plane and Survived.
As previously reported, she leads the cast as Jaynie, a woman who miraculously cheats death after her husband Cole (Tyler Lepley) betrays her.
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