Among the judges’ panel of real-life people who seemed to have been tailor-made for reality TV — Tyra Banks, Miss J Alexander, Jay Manuel, Nigel Barker — former model and America’s Next Top Model judge Janice Dickinson stood out as uniquely provocative. A scene-stealer and rabble-rouser, Dickinson was known for her hard-knock approach to mentorship and her lack of a filter. Among the panel, she acted as the old guard whose role was to remind the contestants of the harsh realities of modeling — a perspective that led to its fair share of confrontations and controversies.

Dickinson does not appear in Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model to offer her current outlook, because she wasn’t available to shoot. “We would’ve absolutely loved to interview Janice. She’s bigger than life,” director Daniel Sivan tells Tudum. “Unfortunately, she was tied up on another documentary.” However, he expects that her opinions will still find their way to the public. “The beauty of social media today is [that] I am absolutely sure we’ll be hearing all of the sordid comments in the next few weeks. So I personally am staying tuned.”

In true Miss J fashion, Alexander had this to say about Dickinson’s absence: “Oh, she’s not going to be a part of the doc? Poor Janice D. Even though I would have loved to hear her retro takes on it as well.”

Barker, a fellow judge, was more judicious in his remarks. “She was a force of nature on that judging panel, bringing an unpredictable energy and raw honesty that was essential to the show’s early DNA. Even though she was only there for the first four cycles, her impact was seismic. She didn’t just participate in the show — she defined an era of it. And let’s be real: There’s only one Janice Dickinson. She’s irreplaceable, unforgettable, and utterly singular,” he tells Tudum. “Would I have loved to hear her reflections in the doc? Without question. But in some ways, her voice still echoes through every moment she created.”

Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model is available to watch now on Netflix.