Image of Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks

"A smart model is a good model," Tyra Banks was once quoted as saying, and she seems destined to prove it in every way. Now widely known as one of the world's foremost supermodels, Banks began her modeling career at the age of 17 with the Elite agency after flirting with attending college at Loyola Marymount. The 5'11" beauty was quickly discovered in Los Angeles, her birth city, and offered a healthy contract with cosmetics company Cover Girl -- becoming only the third African-American woman in the world to secure such an opportunity. Her striking looks and business savvy extended to several offers, including assignments with Ralph Lauren and various magazine covers (over 20 to be exact), including Sports Illustrated and most notably GQ, where Banks became the first black woman ever to grace the cover. In addition to various ads and runway gigs, Banks decided to branch out into feature films, scoring a few  high-profile gigs, starring as Omar Epps' love interest in John Singleton's racially charged drama Higher Learning (1995) and snagging a stint opposite Will Smith on TV's The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. These breakout roles led to more film work, including a British sexploitation film called Inferno and a comic turn in 1999's Love Stinks with actors French Stewart and Bill Bellamy. In 2000, Banks landed a high-profile gig in the critically dismissed but lively Jerry Bruckheimer production Coyote Ugly. Banks would find a useful avenue for her skills as a producer, host, and co-creator of the competetive reality show America's Next Top Model, an immensely successful franchise that would run from 2003 to 2012. Though her self-absorbed personna would often find her the subject of mockery, Banks would also launch an unsuccessful music career, as well as a talk show, and a handful of other reality shows, like True Beauty, and Stylista. ~ Jason Clark, Rovi


Read bio at tmdb | Read bio at Wikipedia
Born:
Dec 4, 1973 In Inglewood, California, U.S.
Movie/TV Credits:
66
First Appeared:
In the series Today 1952-01-14
Latest Project:
Series Dora 2024-04-12
Known For
Poster of Gossip Girl
Poster of The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Poster of Eight Crazy Nights
Poster of The Daily Show
Filmography
Series Dora Ann (voice) 2024-04-12
Movie Ghislaine Maxwell: Filthy Rich Self (archive footage) 2022-11-25
Movie FEED ME Archival 2021-01-01
Series Beauty 2020-04-06
Series Celebrity Watch Party 2020-05-07
Movie Life-Size 2 Eve 2018-12-02
Movie Sports Illustrated Swimsuit: 50 Years of Beautiful Self 2014-02-03
Movie Teenage Paparazzo Self (uncredited) 2010-01-22
Series Shake It Up Unknown 2010-11-07
Movie Hannah Montana: The Movie Herself 2009-04-10
Series Glee Bichette 2009-05-19
Movie Tropic Thunder Tyra Banks 2008-08-09
Movie Mr. Woodcock Self 2007-09-14
Series Gossip Girl Ursula Nyquist 2007-09-19
Series America's Got Talent Host 2006-06-21
Series Web Junk 20 Unknown 2006-01-13
Series Dancing with the Stars Self - Host 2005-06-01
Series Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N Out Unknown 2005-07-28
Series Deal or No Deal Unknown 2005-12-19
Series Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List Unknown 2005-08-03
Series The Tyra Banks Show Self - Host 2005-09-12
Series On Air with Ryan Seacrest Unknown 2004-01-01
Movie Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit 2004 Self 2004-02-10
Series The Tony Danza Show Unknown 2004-09-13
Movie LArceny Cynthia Dane 2004-03-02
Series Punk'd Unknown 2003-03-17
Series Jimmy Kimmel Live! Unknown 2003-01-26
Series America's Next Top Model Herself - Host / Judge 2003-05-20
Series The Ellen DeGeneres Show Unknown 2003-09-08
Series E!'s 101 Unknown 2003-07-13
Series All of Us Unknown 2003-09-16
Movie Totally Gay! Self 2003-08-29
Series E! Live from the Red Carpet Herself 2002-01-13
Movie Halloween: Resurrection Nora 2002-07-01
Movie Cleavage Herself 2002-12-10
Movie Eight Crazy Nights Victoria's Secret Gown (voice) 2002-11-27
Series American Dreams Unknown 2002-09-29
Series Good Day Live Unknown 2001-09-17
Movie Life-Size Eve 2000-03-05
Movie Love & Basketball Kyra Kessler 2000-04-21
Series Soul Food Unknown 2000-06-28
Movie Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit 1997 Herself 2000-09-05
Movie Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit 1996 Video Herself 2000-09-05
Movie Coyote Ugly Zoe 2000-07-30
Movie Love Stinks Holly Garnett 1999-09-10
Series The Early Show Unknown 1999-11-01
Movie The Apartment Complex Neighbour 1999-10-31
Movie David Blaine: Magic Man Self 1998-06-05
Movie Sesame Street: Elmopalooza! Self 1998-02-20
Series The Hughleys Unknown 1998-09-22
Series Felicity Unknown 1998-09-29
Series Just Shoot Me! Unknown 1997-03-04
Series The View Unknown 1997-08-11
Series The Daily Show Unknown 1996-07-22
Movie Higher Learning Deja 1995-01-11
Series MADtv Unknown 1995-10-14
Series Die Harald Schmidt Show Unknown 1995-12-05
Series Space Ghost Coast to Coast Unknown 1994-04-15
Series New York Undercover Unknown 1994-09-08
Series Late Night with Conan O'Brien Unknown 1993-09-13
Series The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Unknown 1992-05-25
Series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Unknown 1990-09-10
Series Wetten, dass..? Unknown 1981-02-14
Series The Price Is Right BarkerĀ“s Beauty 1972-09-04
Series Sesame Street Unknown 1969-11-10
Series Today Unknown 1952-01-14