Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks first gained attention for her Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition cover. Now, 10 years after that famous photo, the former model has created a successful reality series and hosts her own talk show.

Tyra Banks, seen here at a 2007 pre-Grammy party, rose to fame through modeling and now as a TV talk show host.

Tyra Lynne Banks was born on December 4, 1973 in Los Angeles, California, where she attended an all-girl Catholic school. During her childhood, she was teased for being too thin and suffered from low self-esteem. She has a brother, Devin.

Prior to attending Loyola Marymount University in 1991, Elite Model Agency offered her a modeling job. At the time, Banks was more interested in earning money for college than becoming a fashion model. She was just 17, and the rest, they say, is history.

Tyra Banks at the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

Tyra Banks began in high fashion, but got the most exposure when she moved to commercial modeling. Banks paved the way for other models, becoming the first African-American on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue and GQ magazine. She also proved that she didn’t have to fit the mold of skinny waif, showing that curvaceous women could also be successful models. She was one of the original Victoria’s Secret “Angels,” modeling in their catalog and runway shows.

Banks truly rose to supermodel fame, winning the Michael Award in 1997 for “Supermodel of the Year.” In addition to modeling in the United States, her runway career took her to the fashion capitals of Milan, Paris, Tokyo and London. She appeared in television and magazine advertisements, including:

• Swatch watches
• Pepsi
• Cover Girl
• Nike
• Tommy Hilfiger
• Ralph Lauren
• LensCrafters
• Yves Saint Laurent
• Liz Claiborne

Tyra Banks was seen on many magazine covers during her career, most notably:

• Sports Illustrated
• Harper’s Bazaar
• Vogue
• ELLE
• Cosmopolitan
• Essence

Like many models, Tyra Banks also pursued an acting career. While she has not appeared in many roles, she did make notable appearances in a number of television shows and films, including:

• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, playing Will Smith’s ex-girlfriend (1993)
• Higher Learning (1995)
• Love Sinks (1999)
• Felicity (2000)
• Love and Basketball (2000)
• Coyote Ugly (2000)
• Life-Size, a Disney film starring Lindsay Lohan (2000)
• Halloween: Resurrection (2002)
• Eight Crazy Nights (2002)
• Larceny (2004)

Banks at the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Awards in February 2007.

Banks took her outgoing personality to the daytime talk show arena in September 2005, hosting The Tyra Banks Show. The show has proven itself in the ratings, drawing over 1.9 million viewers. With a mixture of women’s issues and celebrity interviews, coupled with Banks’ likeability, her show appeals to a large audience. Banks has revealed much about herself on her program, dispelling rumors about having breast implants and responding to critics about her weight gain.

With years of modeling industry experience, Tyra Banks ventured into new territory by creating a reality television program. America’s Next Top Model debuted in 2003 -- a model search where contestants competed for a $100,000 modeling contract with Cover Girl, as well photo spreads in fashion magazines. Banks is the executive producer, host and head judge for the series.

Tyra Banks pursued a music career, if only for a brief time. She got her start by appearing in videos for Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” and George Michael’s “Too Funky,” as well as a Lionel Richie video. Her first single, “Shake Ya Body” was released in 2004, and she looked no further than her America’s Next Top Model contestants when creating the video for the song.

She also sang with NBA star Kobe Bryant on a single titled “K.O.B.E.,” had a single on the Disney film Life-Size soundtrack, and sang in the movie Eight Crazy Nights. While her music career was short-lived and not overly successful, Banks proved there was nothing she couldn’t do.

As a model, Banks was all too familiar with the emphasis on being thin. After she retired from modeling, it seemed that her weight was still up for discussion. When tabloids printed an unflattering photo of her in early 2007, Banks decided to address the critics. On February 1, 2007, she appeared on her talk show, sporting the same bathing suit she had been seen in on the tabloid cover. She explained how hurtful the media had been to her, admitting that while she gained weight, she was proud of her body. This event proved to be a hit, ratings-wise, and Banks reached her audience with a positive message.

• Banks retired from modeling in 2005, after participating in her final Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. She decided to leave modeling to focus on her TV show.
• She established the Tyra Banks Scholarship to provide African-American girls with the opportunity to attend the same private school that she did, Immaculate Heart High School.
• She has dated director John Singleton (and appeared in his film, Higher Learning), basketball player Chris Webber and musician Seal. Her preference is to date non-celebrities.
• Time magazine named Banks as one of the world’s 100 most influential people in 2006.
• She has a fear of dolphins, which she explored on her talk show.

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