Chicago Med star Yaya DaCosta explains why she finally addressed her America’s Next Top Model past in a candid reflection on healing and career stigma.
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Why did Yaya DaCosta decide to speak about ANTM?
In a March 15 Instagram video, the Chicago Med star surprised fans by talking about her time on America’s Next Top Model.
For 20 years, she had kept her feelings private. That moment with Tyra Banks at the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards wasn’t a coincidence; DaCosta says it was supernaturally healing.
“I really would’ve been fine never saying anything,” she tells PEOPLE, admitting that hearing about her past still hurts.
Was reality TV detrimental for your career in the 2000s?
After Anthology, the New York native had real problems at work.
John Sayles (Honeydripper), Liz Friedlander (Take the Lead), and Charles Dutton (Racing for Time) all said they wouldn’t have cast her if they knew she had been on reality TV.
“I quickly developed my lip-zipping skills,” DaCosta explains. Before reality stars took over entertainment, people felt ashamed during tryouts.
What did she do?
She allowed her work to speak for herself. In response, she worked on Whitney, Lincoln Lawyer, and seven seasons of NBC’s medical drama.
What was so powerful about the meeting with Tyra Banks?
It was all about timing. During her ESSENCE speech, Banks admitted she had made mistakes in the past. DaCosta was in the bathroom at the time.
The chat they had backstage turned out to be surprisingly healing.
“That would not have happened if I hadn’t been obedient,” she thinks about the call from God that brought them to the picture studio. That was a long time ago, right? It was awkward.
Now? In a full-circle moment, what Banks called “dumb s—” turned into closure.
How does DaCosta respond when he receives criticism from others?
He handles the criticism with the composure of someone who has struggled with silence.
Are there rumors on the internet about her actions? “Inconsequential.” Business biases? Grown-up.
“We’re not always going to get the apology that we want,” she says. The actress from Take the Lead says that healing is like putting together a mosaic: you use pieces of your self-worth to piece together freedom.
Are you still deciphering her words? “Not everybody is ready, and that’s okay.” That’s not the point. The point is to recognize improvement.
Is this really her last word on ANTM?
This is indeed her final statement on ANTM. “I’m not going to talk about it anymore,” she says.
The movie wasn’t a sneak peek at what’s to come; it was the end of a 21-year story.
What sticks out isn’t the drama, but her challenge: grow without approval from others.
Are fans still analyzing every frame of cycle 3?
“Be whole” is DaCosta’s only lesson. Everything else is just background noise.