Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks
Tyra Lynne Banks is an American model, television personality, talk show host, producer, author, actress, singer and business woman. She began her career as a model at age 15, and became the first African American woman on the covers of GQ and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, on which she appeared twice. She was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 1997 to 2005. By the early 2000s, Banks was one of the top-earning models in the world...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionTV Show Host
Date of Birth4 December 1973
CityInglewood, CA
CountryUnited States of America
Moms, you are the first and most influential role model in your girl's life. Use that power.
I wanted to take something that's very intimidating and make it accessible, make it something every woman can relate to and be a part of, ... One of the reasons why I got very known as a model was because I used to work the runway with a lot of movement. I didn't just walk up and down unless the designer asked for that. So that's what you're going to see, women working the runway with a lot of oomph.
When I announced that I wanted to do a talk show, a lot of people were very skeptical, which, of course, I understand, ... I think I'm very good at stepping outside of myself and seeing what I think other people perceive and they perceive a girl that has modeled half of her life and that's pretty much it.
On 'America's Next Top Model,' I mentor girls on television. When that TV goes off, I actually mentor other girls in the modeling industry - girls that have not been on 'Top Model,' but who appear in 'Vogue' worldwide.
When modeling agencies were saying that I was too big and gaining weight, my mom said, 'OK, we're going to discuss what they're saying over pizza, and we're going to plan the future of your career which doesn't involve you having to be skinny.'
When I went to Paris after graduating high school, I saw a model who was 12 years old without any supervision. That wouldn't happen in the acting world.
I would not recommend a teen getting into modeling if they're not solid when it comes to their grades and school. That comes first. My mother always told me that came first.
I used to say in interviews that I don't necessarily want to be the first black woman or first model to do certain things; I just want to see it done.
I have a long list of different smiles that you can do, and every model should be equipped. Everybody can't handle the long list... That's for, you know, advanced.
I don't think me walking away from modeling was scary for me. In hindsight, I think it was very risky, when you talk about risk. Because it paid the bills.
I think the rise of Asian models is an absolutely beautiful thing.
A girl like you that is not necessarily super tall or has a model proportion has to be almost perfect and you nearly fell off this runway.
The judges think, 'Beautiful girl, Beautiful pictures,' but a lot of them don't see a model in front of them.
The judges see a model in person, but for two weeks in a row they have been less than impressed with your photos. So what the judges see now is a lot of potential, but they haven't seen that potential put into your photos.