“I remember the moment I realized this wasn’t what I signed up for,” cycle 14 contestant Alexandra Underwood tells EW.

*America’s Next Top Model *star reveals ‘mean’ production directive that made her cry during shoot: ‘Very low’ (exclusive)

"I remember the moment I realized this wasn't what I signed up for," cycle 14 contestant Alexandra Underwood tells EW.

Joey Nolfi is a senior writer at *. *Since 2016, his work at EW includes *RuPaul's Drag Race* video interviews, Oscars predictions, and more.

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February 20, 2026 2:56 p.m. ET

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Alexandra Underwood on 'America's Next Top Model' cycle 14. Credit:

Courtesy DISNEY+

- Cycle 14 star Alexandra Underwood tells EW the moment she realized the show "wasn't what I signed up for."

- Underwood reveals she's secretly crying in the final photo production picked from a challenging shoot.

- "I'm holding back tears, I'm crying," she says.

*America's Next Top Model *cycle 14 star Alexandra Underwood reveals to ** that cameras captured her crying during a particularly painful shoot during which she realized the Tyra Banks-fronted show "wasn't what I signed up for."

Amid the modeling competition series' modern reckoning following the release of *Reality Check*, an explosive Netflix docuseries highlighting various allegations against producers and Banks from former contestants and judges, Underwood speaks to EW in response to a public apology she received from *The View* cohost Whoopi Goldberg. In 2010, Goldberg laughed on the talk show at footage of Underwood being knocked off an *ANTM* runway by a swinging pendulum, an often-meme'd moment that's followed Underwood for years.

"Beside the experience of the pendulum runway, I remember the moment I realized this wasn't what I signed up for," Underwood explains to EW, referencing the April 21, 2010, episode titled "Big Hair Day," which saw the models posing in teams while dressed in gowns made completely of human hair.**

Jessica Serfaty and Alexandra Underwood on 'ANTM' cycle 14.

Courtesy DISNEY+

Underwood recalls that "before we went out," production had them break into clusters that she says were tasked with watching from the sidelines as the other girls posed for their respective shoot.

"When one of our opponents is up there modeling, they wanted us to jeer and put them down," Underwood says. When EW viewed the episode, the models are shown breaking off into teams led by hairstylists Weaven Steven and Derek J — the latter of whom is later shown telling models to "yell," "holler," and "scream" at the other contestants as they pose, which they are eventually shown doing.

Underwood, a working model signed with Wilhelmina (which served as *ANTM*'s prize agency for years), says she came to believe in the moment that "they're going to take video clips of our voice, putting each other down in these awful ways" and use them out of context. Underwood did not specify whether the show in fact used the clips as described.**

'ANTM' winner reveals 'f---ed up' phone call with Tyra Banks 15 years after show

Tyra Banks apologizes to 'ANTM' star after alleged sexual harassment: 'She deserved more'

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"You can actually see in my photo, when I'm up there, I'm holding back tears, I'm crying," Underwood says. "In my photo that they chose [to show at panel], I'm crying, because I was like, this isn't what I signed up for. To me, being mean to each other was not supposed to be part of it. It was very low."

Still, Underwood, who ultimately tied for third place on *ANTM* cycle 14, tells EW she doesn't classify her experience as a negative one, but acknowledges the pain some of her *Top Model *peers have expressed in recent years — including those who spoke out about the show on *Reality Check.*

Underwood says that, while many allegedly had bad experiences on the production, she felt well taken care of by the late producer David St. John, who worked on the show from 2007-11 before his death in 2025.

'ANTM' star Alexandra Underwood in 2026.

Courtesy Alexandra Underwood

The contestant particularly recalls St. John agreeing to not use a series of emotional phone calls Underwood had from the *Top Model *house, as she spoke to her friend about her boyfriend's painful cancer diagnosis.

"He was losing his battle to cancer, and that was a lot of my phone conversations with my friends and roommates, about him and his treatment," she remembers. "I said, 'Please don't use this. I do not want this on the show. I don't think it's right for the struggle going on at home,' and they respected my wishes. They didn't use it. I think that's the trade-out. We didn't have direct contact with [producer] Ken Mok or Tyra, but there were good people behind the scenes."

Underwood's EW interview comes after many contestants and judges — including multiple alums interviewed for *Reality Check* — have spoken about their experiences on set, following numerous other allegations over the years.

Alexandra Underwood's pendulum runway fall on 'ANTM' cycle 14.

Courtesy Alexandra Underwood; The CW

Banks spoke on camera on *Reality Check*, addressing several controversies and admitting that she went "too far" in some cases. She earlier defended her legacy on stage at the 2025 *Essence* Black Women in Hollywood event, where she admitted that she "said some dumb s---" on the reality competition series.

"We fought and we struggled, but we made it happen," she said of casting women with different body types, from varying backgrounds and alternate sexualities on the show. "Did we get it right? Hell, no! I said some dumb s---. But I refuse to have my legacy be about some stuff linked together on the internet when there were 24 cycles of changing the world."

A representative for Banks has not responded to EW's repeated requests for comment in recent weeks. EW has also reached out to a representative for Derek J for comment.

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