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Tyra Lynne Banks (born December 4, 1973
in Los Angeles, California) is a retired American
supermodel. She first emerged to prominence as a cover
model for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and one
of the original Victoria's Secret Angels.
She is best known as the hostess/judge
of the reality television show America's Next Top Model,
since its 2003 debut on UPN (later CW), and is currently
hosting her own daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show,
The Tyra Banks Show. Banks is one of only four African
Americans and seven women to have repeatedly ranked
among the world's most influential people by Time
magazine.
Modeling: Tyra began her modeling career in
Europe and evolved into a world-renowned supermodel who
has become a pioneer in the industry. She was the first
African-American woman to grace the covers of GQ, Sports
Illustrated's swimsuit issue and the Victoria's Secret
catalog. In 1997, she received the prestigious Michael
Award for Supermodel of the Year. She later secured an
exclusive contract with Victoria's Secret.
In addition, Banks has been contracted
by Swatch and Cover Girl. She has graced the runway and
print media with her appearance for brand names like
Pepsi, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Victoria’s Secret, Cover
girl, Swatch, Michael Kors, Anna Sui, Liz Claiborne,
Lenscrafters, Ralph Lauren and Dolce & Gabbana. Tyra
has graced the covers of many fashion magazines such as
Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and ELLE. Banks
retired from modeling in May 2005 to concentrate more on
her television show. She walked the runway for the final
time at the 2005 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
On the February 19, 2007, episode of The Tyra Banks
Show, Banks celebrated the 10th anniversary of the
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue by recreating the same
cover with the same bikini in Bahamas.
Television: Banks' television career began on the
fourth season of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, in which
she played Jackie Ames, who made 8 appearances and was
also Will's ex-girlfriend. She also appeared on
Felicity. She once starred in an episode of MADtv. Banks
has also starred as the fictitious brought to life doll
'Eve' in the Disney film Life-Size, along side Lindsay
Lohan. She also appeared on Nick Cannon's Wild 'N Out,
as a special guest host and team captain. She also was a
Barker's Beauty on The Price Is Right.
She is now the executive producer, host and head judge
of the hit TV show America's Next Top Model. Despite her
phenomenal success as a supermodel, Banks began
venturing from modeling to becoming a so-called media
"personality" after 2000. She is the hostess,
head judge, and an executive producer of the UPN (now
the CW) television show America's Next Top Model.
She also currently hosts The Tyra Banks Show, a daytime
talk show which premiered on September 12, 2005 and
recently began its second season. The show now draws
over 1.9 million viewers. The show features stories
about everyday people mixed in with celebrity
interviews, much like the early format of The Oprah
Winfrey Show. Under the slogan "Every woman has a
story", Banks promotes her show using emotional
flashbacks to her own childhood and adolescence. Many of
the episodes deal with issues facing women today.
Music: Banks appeared in several music videos
including Tiara Summers's "Wild Girls",
Michael Jackson's "Black or White", and in
George Michael's "Too Funky" (with fellow
super model Linda Evangelista). In 2004, she recorded
her first single, "Shake Ya Body", which had a
music video featuring the America's Next Top Model,
Cycle 2 contestants.(Music Video) The video had its
world premiere on UPN, but the single was a failure for
Banks. She stated on Cycle 2 of Top Models that
"Singing has been a passion of mine for a long,
long time...6 years on the down low - been ducking in
and out of studios cutting tracks," but on her talk
show she stated, "I can't believe I wasted 6 years
of doing something that I didn't finish...I was almost
able to release my album 'T.Y.R.A' but since my music
career hit rock bottom I quit." On her show, she
commented to Carmen Electra, "Girl, that makes the
two of us with music videos that people didn't
like."
Though "Shake Ya Body" was a failure, record
producer Darkchild told JET in 2004 that Banks "has
what it takes to pull it off...she had a hungriness to
want to be in the studio all the time. Some people want
to be divas in the studio and work for three or four
hours. You had to tell Tyra to stop or she will keep you
going."[5] As for her voice, Jerkins stated,
"People will be shocked. She can really sing, she's
like between soprano and high alto. I challenged her
vocally. I pushed her, but not too far. I pushed her
where vocally it fit the track."
Banks released a single with NBA star Kobe Bryant,
titled "K.O.B.E.", which was performed on NBA
TV, and had a single/soundtrack from the Disney movie
Life-Size called "Be A Star". She also sang in
the musical/movie "Eight Crazy Nights". Banks
also sings the Top Model theme song.
Movies: Banks has had minor roles in a few movies
over the years. Her first time in a movie came in 1995
when she co-starred in the critically acclaimed drama
Higher Learning. She also co-starred with Lindsay Lohan
in the Disney film Life-Size, playing a doll named Eve
who comes to life. She co-starred in 1999's Love Stinks,
2000s Coyote Ugly, and 2002's Halloween: Resurrection
– the eighth film in the Halloween franchise.
Charity: Banks acts as the patron for TZONE, a
leadership program created by Banks for young girls that
according to the organization, "reinforces core
values of trust and support, challenges teen girls to
resist negative social pressures, and enhances
self-empowerment—inspiring girls to become confident
leaders in their communities." She has also
established the Tyra Banks Scholarship, a fund aimed at
providing African-American girls the opportunity to
attend her alma mater, Immaculate Heart High School.
Controversy: Banks addressed her physique in an
interview with The Sun, saying, "I am totally
against plastic surgery. A lot of people think I have
breast implants because I have the biggest boobs in the
business. But I was a 34C when I was 17. They stay up
when I wear a push-up bra. But if people could see me
when I come home and take off my bra, how could they
think these are fake?". She is known for being
proud of her curvaceous body, and once commented,
"Some models are flat-chested so they can run
around without bouncing. I can't." |
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