Tyra Banks

Model, Television Personality, Producer, Writer, Actress, Entrepreneur

American Inglewood, California, USA

Quick Info

ProfessionModel, Television Personality, Producer, Writer, Actress, Entrepreneur
NationalityAmerican
Date of Birth04/12/1973
Age52 years
BirthplaceInglewood, California, USA

Latest News about Tyra Banks

01/05/2025

Tyra Banks appeared in the 2025 reboot of the game show Hollywood Squares, marking her return to television game show hosting. This role showcased her continued presence in entertainment after stepping away from Dancing with the Stars in 2023.

01/05/2025

Banks is set to star in a Netflix documentary series exploring the history and impact of America's Next Top Model, which she created and hosted from 2003 to 2018. The project reflects on the show's legacy two decades after its debut.

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Bio/Wiki

Full NameTyra Lynne Banks
Other NameBanX
Known ForCreating and hosting America's Next Top Model (2003–2018)

Physical Stats & More

Height5' 10" (178 cm)
Eye ColorGreen
Hair ColorBrown

Educational Qualification(s)

School
  • John Burroughs Middle School, Los Angeles
  • Immaculate Heart High School, Los Angeles
College/UniversityHarvard University, Cambridge
Educational QualificationOwner/President Management Program (OPM) at Harvard Business School (2012)

Personal Life

ReligionChristianity

Relationships & More

Marital StatusUnmarried
Affairs/Boyfriends
  • Will Smith (early 1990s)
  • John Singleton (mid 1990s)
  • Hype Williams (late 1990s)
  • Seal (early 2000s)
  • Brian J. White (mid 2000s)
  • Chris Webber (2002)
  • John Utendahl (2007)
  • Erik Asla (2010)
  • Rob Evans (2012)
  • Louis Bélanger-Martinwa (since 2018)

Family

FatherDonald Banks (computer consultant)
MotherCarolyn London (medical photographer)
SiblingsDevin
ChildrenYork Banks Asla (with Erik Asla)

Career

Debut
FilmHigher Learning (1995) as Deja
TVEurotrash (1995)
Short FilmExtraterrestrrial Alien Encounter (1994)
TV FilmThe Apartment Complex (1999)
Music VideoSo You Like What You See (1990)
Awards & Achievements
  • Teen Choice Award (2004) for Choice Model
  • Teen Choice Award (2007) for Choice TV: Personality for America's Next Top Model
  • Daytime Emmy Award (2008) for Outstanding Talk Show/Informative for The Tyra Banks Show
  • Daytime Emmy Award (2009) for Outstanding Talk Show/Informative for The Tyra Banks Show
  • Ranked among world's most influential people by Time magazine (multiple years)
  • Legendary Supermodel ranking by MODELS.com
Notable Contributions
  • First Black woman on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
  • Founder of the Tyra Banks Scholarship for African-American girls
  • Established the TZONE Foundation for young women
  • Victoria's Secret Angel (1997–2005)
  • Re-signed with IMG Models and walked in revived Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (2024)
Business Ventures
  • Owner of cosmetics brand Tyra Beauty
  • Founder of ice cream boutique Smize & Dream (SMiZe Cream)
  • Co-authored book 'Perfect is Boring' with her mother
  • Bankable Productions (production company)
  • Published young adult novel 'Modelland' (2010), New York Times bestseller
Television & Production
  • Creator and executive producer of America's Next Top Model (2003–2018)
  • Host of The Tyra Banks Show (2005–2010)
  • Host of America's Got Talent (2017–2018)
  • Host of Dancing with the Stars (2020–2023)
  • Appeared in Life-Size 2 (2018)
  • Appeared in 2025 reboot of Hollywood Squares
  • Executive producer of Netflix documentary about America's Next Top Model (2025)

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Tyra was teased for her appearance as a child and was considered an ugly duckling.
2. She started modeling at age 15, despite initial rejections from many agencies.
3. Tyra’s mother has been her manager since the beginning of her career.
4. She was one of the few Black models to achieve supermodel status.
5. Tyra's transformation into a curvier model led her to focus on lingerie and swimwear modeling.
6. She is one of only four African Americans and seven women to have repeatedly been ranked among the world's most influential people by Time magazine.
7. She is one of only seventeen models to be ranked as a Legendary Supermodel by MODELS.com.
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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