Tyra Banks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tyra Banks
Banks in 2018
Born	Tyra Lynne Banks (1973-12-04) December 4, 1973 (age 52) Inglewood, California, U.S.
Other names	BanX
Alma mater	Immaculate Heart High School
Occupation	Model television personality producer writer actress businesswoman
Years active	1991–present
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Television	America's Next Top Model The Tyra Banks Show America's Got Talent FABLife Dancing with the Stars
Partner(s)	Erik Asla (2013–2017)
Children	1
Modeling information
Hair color	Brown
Eye color	Green

Tyra Lynne Banks (born December 4, 1973), also known as BanX, is a famous American model, television personality, producer, writer, and actress. She started her career as a model when she was 15 years old. Tyra made history as the first African American woman to appear on the covers of GQ magazine and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She was also a Victoria's Secret Angel for many years.

By the early 2000s, Tyra was one of the highest-earning models in the world. She later became a successful television producer and host. She created the popular reality show America's Next Top Model. Tyra also hosted her own talk show, The Tyra Banks Show, which won several awards. She has also hosted America's Got Talent and Dancing with the Stars.

Discovering Tyra Banks: A Supermodel's Journey

Early Life and Beginnings

Tyra Lynne Banks was born in Inglewood, California, on December 4, 1973. Her mother, Carolyn London, was a medical photographer, and her father, Donald Banks, was a computer consultant. She has an older brother named Devin. Tyra's parents divorced when she was six years old.

She attended John Burroughs Middle School and later graduated from Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles in 1991. Tyra has shared that she felt different growing up. When she was 11, she grew taller and lost weight quickly. In 2012, she completed a special nine-week business program at Harvard University.

Rising to Supermodel Status

Tyra began her modeling journey at age 15 while still in high school. After being turned down by several agencies, she was signed by L.A. Models. At 16, she joined Elite Model Management. She moved to Milan to pursue modeling in Europe.

During her first season in Europe, Tyra walked in 25 shows at the 1991 Paris Fashion Week. She appeared in many top fashion magazines like Vogue, Elle, and Harper's Bazaar. She also graced the covers of Cosmopolitan and Seventeen.

Tyra walked for famous designers such as Chanel, Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent. She was featured in advertising campaigns for major brands like CoverGirl, Victoria's Secret, and Nike. Tyra was one of the few Black models to achieve the special title of Supermodel.

Banks in 2012

In 1997, she won the VH1 award for "Supermodel of the Year." That same year, she became the first African American model on the cover of the Victoria's Secret catalog. She was also a Victoria's Secret Angel from 1997 to 2005. In 2019, Tyra returned to modeling for one of the three Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covers. This was her third time on the cover, 22 years after her first. In 2024, she walked the runway again for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

From Runway to Television Star

Tyra's television career started with a role on the fourth season of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1993. She played Jackie Ames, an old friend of Will Smith's character. She appeared in seven episodes of the show. Tyra also had roles in other TV series like Felicity and Gossip Girl.

Banks at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival

In 2003, Tyra created America's Next Top Model, a reality show where aspiring models compete. She was the executive producer and host for most of its seasons. She also hosted The Tyra Banks Show, a daytime talk show that ran from 2005 to 2010. This show earned her two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Talk Show Informative.

Tyra continued her TV career by hosting America's Got Talent for its 12th and 13th seasons in 2017 and 2018. In 2020, she became the host and an executive producer of Dancing with the Stars. She left the show in March 2023 after three seasons to focus on other business projects. In 2025, Tyra appeared in the reboot of the game show Hollywood Squares. It was also revealed in May 2025 that she starred in a Netflix documentary about ANTM.

Beyond the Screen: Entrepreneur and Author

Tyra Banks in an interview for Glamour in 2020

Tyra founded her own production company, Bankable Productions. This company produced The Tyra Banks Show, America's Next Top Model, and the 2008 movie The Clique. She is known for her business skills and influence.

Banks at a book signing in Washington D.C., 1995

In 2010, Tyra published a young adult novel called Modelland. This book was inspired by her own experiences as a model and became a The New York Times Best Seller in 2011. She also co-authored a book with her mother, Carolyn London, titled "Perfect is Boring" in 2018.

In 2014, Tyra launched her cosmetics brand, Tyra Beauty. She also created an interactive cosmetic e-commerce site, "tyra.com," in 2015. In 2020, she founded Smize & Dream (SMiZe Cream), a boutique ice cream brand. This idea came from her childhood memories of enjoying ice cream with her mother. Smize & Dream has opened pop-up shops in several cities and has a permanent location in Sydney. In August 2016, Tyra shared her knowledge by being a guest lecturer on personal branding at Stanford University.

Tyra's Life Off-Camera

Family and Personal Milestones

Tyra dated Norwegian photographer Erik Asla during the 2010s. In January 2016, they welcomed their son, York Banks Asla.

In January 2025, Tyra's home in Los Angeles was unfortunately destroyed in the Palisades Fire. She and her boyfriend, Louis Bélanger-Martin, were in Australia at the time.

Giving Back: Philanthropy

Banks visiting patients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., December 2003

Tyra Banks is also known for her charitable work. She established the TZONE program, which helps young people develop leadership and life skills. She also created the Tyra Banks Scholarship. This scholarship helps African-American girls attend her former high school, Immaculate Heart High School. In 2005, TZONE became a public charity, continuing its mission to support young people.

Tyra Banks' Creative Works

Film and Television Appearances

Tyra has appeared in many films and television shows throughout her career. Her film roles include Higher Learning (1995), Life-Size (2000) where she played a doll named Eve who comes to life, and Coyote Ugly (2000). She also had roles in Love & Basketball (2000) and Halloween: Resurrection (2002). In 2018, she returned to her role as Eve in Life-Size 2.

On television, besides hosting her own shows, Tyra has been a guest on All That, MADtv, and Shake It Up. She also had a recurring role in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Music and Recordings

Tyra has also explored music. She appeared in several music videos for famous artists like Michael Jackson ("Black or White") and Tina Turner ("Love Thing"). In 2004, she released her first single, "Shake Ya Body." She also recorded a song called "Be a Star" for the Life-Size movie soundtrack in 2000.

• 2000: "Be A Star"
• 2004: "Shake Ya Body"
• 2018: "Be A Star 2" (featuring New Fear's Eve)
• 2025: "Santa SMiZE, Santa SMiZE" (Tyra Banks as Santa SMiZE, featuring Tyra Banks)

• 1999: "K.O.B.E." (Kobe Bryant featuring Tyra Banks)
• 2021: "FASHÓN" (Todrick Hall featuring Tyra Banks)
• 2021: "I Want That Smize Cream" (DJ Splitz featuring Tyra Banks and STORi)

Books and Writing

Tyra Banks in 2011

In 1998, Tyra co-authored a book called Tyra's Beauty, Inside and Out. She later wrote the young adult novel Modelland, which was published in 2011. This book became a best-seller and was planned as the first in a series. In 2018, Tyra and her mother, Carolyn London, co-wrote another book titled "Perfect is Boring."

Awards and Recognitions

Tyra Banks has received many awards for her work in modeling and television. She won a Teen Choice Award for Choice Model in 1999. Her show, The Tyra Banks Show, earned her two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Talk Show/Informative in 2008 and 2009. She has also been nominated for awards for her hosting roles on America's Next Top Model and America's Got Talent.

See also

In Spanish: Tyra Banks para niños