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Tyra Lynne Banks (born December 4, 1973) is a television personality, author, actress, singer, executive producer, talk show host, and former 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 went on to host the reality television show America's Next Top Model and is currently hosting her own daytime talk show, The Tyra Banks Show. TIME magazine named her as one of the world's 100 most influential people in 2006.
Early life
Tyra Banks was born in Los Angeles, California, to Donald (Don) Banks and his wife, now divorced, Carolyn Estelle London (1946 -). She was raised in Inglewood, California with her older brother Devin (now divorced with children), and attended Immaculate Heart High School, an all-girl, independent Catholic private school in Los Angeles. Growing up, she was very thin and often teased; she was considered to be "ugly." Banks later said that this was a very difficult period for her and she developed a "very strong self-image problem." Her mother managed her daughter's modeling career and in 1989 established London Photography, a home-based glamour portrait business.
In 1991, Banks was about to begin her freshman year at Loyola Marymount University when Elite Model Management gave the 17-year-old her first modeling job. Prior to this entry into the fashion world, Banks had been rejected several times for modeling assignments. In fact, she states that she did not consider her first job to be the start of a long career in fashion: "An agent saw pictures of me and said that I was the only girl she wanted to take back to Paris... I didn't leave thinking I was going to be some big fashion model. I just wanted to make money for junior college."
Banks was also featured in a 1991 Tina Turner music video for the song "Love Thing."
Career
Fashion modeling
Banks' career took off when she made the move from high-fashion to a commercial nindi. She was the first African-American to be featured with a white girl on the cover of the Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue, but is most noted for her work as a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model as well as a Victoria's Secret model. In 1997 she won the prestigious Michael Award for "Supermodel of the Year". Banks has done runway shows in Paris, Milan, London, Tokyo and the U.S., and has been featured in many magazines, television commercials, and billboard advertisements. Her modeling credits include runway and/or print work for Cover Girl, Swatch, Pepsi, Nike, Inc., XOXO, LensCrafters, Tommy Hilfiger, Victoria's Secret, Ralph Lauren, Dolce & Gabbana, Yves Saint-Laurent, Chanel, Escada, Anna Sui, Michael Kors, Liz Claiborne, and Richard Tyler (designer). Banks has appeared on many international magazines, including the covers of Vogue, ELLE, Amica, ELLEgirl, L'Officiel, Harper's Bazaar, Photo, Cosmopolitan, Essence, and Sports Illustrated.
Banks stood out from the waif-like models popular at the time, and had to work hard to persuade modeling agencies to take a chance on her more voluptuous physique. To give herself more options, Banks decided to branch out from high fashion into the commercial fashion industry. She later commented: " I told my agency to call Victoria's Secret, and I told them to call Sports Illustrated... I said my body is changing, and seamstresses are calling me 'grosso' in Italian, and I know what the hell that means. And I'm not about to starve."
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 badonkadonk, and once commented, "Some models are flat-chested so they can run around without bouncing. I can't. Black women don't have the same body image problems as white women. They are proud of their bodies."
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 receives executive producer credits for all ANTM spinoffs. Banks also enjoyed a brief stint as a recording artist. During season two of America's Next Top Model, the contestants danced in her first music video for the single Shake Ya Body (Music Video) produced by experienced record producer Darkchild. Banks also 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-empowermentinspiring 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.
Banks retired from modeling in May 2005 so she could concentrate more on her television show. She made her final walk down the runway at the 2005 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
Television
Banks' television career began on the fourth season of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, in which she played Jackie Ames, 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. 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 Tiara Summers Video "Wild Girls" and also in Michael Jackson's "Black or White" video in a scene where Glen Chin morphs into her; in George Michael's "Too Funky" video (with fellow supermodel Linda Evangelista); and in a Lionel Richie video. 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. The video had its world premiere on UPN, but the single was a failure for Banks. 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." 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".
Movies
Banks has had minor roles in a few movies over the years. Her debut in movies 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.
Personal
Pictures of Banks in late 2006 showed a significant weight gain; Banks said that she was "upset" when rude comments were posted on a gossip website. Because of this, Banks went to People magazine to discuss the weight gain and people's expectations of her; she also dealt with the issue on the February 1, 2007 episode of The Tyra Banks Show. On that episode, Banks wore the same bathing suit in the photo to show that the reason why she looked so fat was because of the angle of the photo and angle of her waistline. She later appeared on Larry King Live to talk about the news. Fans of shock jocks Opie and Anthony and Jim "Monster Rain" Norton, known as Pests Out West, posted a sign calling Banks a "Fatty Pig Fatty" outside of her studio in California. The National Enquirer has begun referring to Banks as "Spare Tyra" (a pun on spare tire).
According to People's Galina Espinoza, she has resigned herself to putting on about five pounds a year. At this rate Tyra would weigh a morbidly obese 316 pounds at the age of 65.
Tyra continues to address fat acceptance on her show, most recently hiring plus-sized actress Danielle Fishel as a special correspondent in February 2007. Banks has vowed to not allow digital retouching of any future photographs of herself; rather, she will rely solely on makeup and hairstyling to enhance her appearance.
She suffers from extreme delphinophobia, the fear of dolphins, which she disclosed in her daytime talk show. She later admitted in an online chat interview that she hadn't fully conquered this phobia. Conversely, Banks has expressed her ardent enthusiasm for the cosmetic uses of Vaseline.
Banks works as a motivational speaker for young girls and a photographer in her spare time.
Banks has been romantically involved with director John Singleton, investment banker Craig Davis, basketball player Chris Webber, and musician Seal), although she claims that she prefers to date non-celebrities, as she strongly dislikes the media scrutiny that comes with being in a relationship with another famous person. She is now dating acting and directing phenom Tyler Perry.
Banks has always wished to become a mother, but her professional life has not allowed her to have children. She has said that she needs to be in a place in her life where she is prepared for such a big step.
Filmography
* Higher Learning (1995)
* A Woman Like That (1997)
* Love Stinks (1999)
* Love & Basketball (2000)
* "Life-Size" (2000)
* Coyote Ugly (2000)
* Halloween: Resurrection (2002)
* Eight Crazy Nights (2002) (voice)
* Larceny (2004)
* Pepsi (2007)
Television work
* Inferno (1992)
* Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1993)
* The Apartment Complex (1999)
* Life-Size (2000)
* America's Next Top Model (2003-present)
* The Tyra Banks Show (2005-present)
| Latest news about Tyra Banks |
rock the dub: Chelsea Handler Goes In On Tyra BanksChelsea Handler Goes In On Tyra Banks. Black people do be crazy, though. Tags comedy , Reality TV , TV , WSHH. Posted by khal This entry was posted on Friday, March 19, 2010 at 7:58 AM You can skip to the end and leave a response. ... Continue reading
Miley Cyrus on the Tyra Banks show part 1 « AVRDirect.com21 comments to Miley Cyrus on the Tyra Banks show part 1. THEFIFTHTELLYTUBBY. March 19th, 2010 at 8:25 pm. Im not really into Mileys music but I do admire her sucess! 5H1LLYTH3D0N. March 19th, 2010 at 8:53 pm ... Continue reading
'Jerseylicious' Met Up With Tyra Banks Friday « Homeshoppingista's ...'Jerseylicious' Met Up With Tyra Banks Friday. By homeshoppingista. Not Snooki, but Jerseylicious Olivia Blois Sharpe. While we were at the gym this afternoon, we caught the cast of “Jerseylicious” on Tyra Banks' show. ... Continue reading
tyrabanks: My butt was awake til past 4am last night and now I can ...tyrabanks: My butt was awake til past 4am last night and now I can hardly keep my eyes open. Smizing is nearly impossible right now. Posted March 19, 2010 at 10:02 pm via web · Reply · Retweet · Link ... Continue reading
Nancy Redd on The Tyra Banks ShowOur very own Industry Insider, Nancy Redd, was featured on The Tyra Banks Show yesterday! Photo courtesy: Nancy Redd. Nancy, is not only breathtakingly gorgeous, but she is a Harvard grad, former Miss Virginia, and an accomplished ... Continue reading
Actin' A Fool:Chelsea Lately Roasting Tyra Banks! “Black People Be ...hip hop music, rap music, mixtapes, music download site, buy music downloads, hip hop mixtapes, mixtape monday, rap mixtape, music rap, mixtape downloads, mixtapes, mix cds. Continue reading
Say What: Tyra Banks Ready For Marriage ? | Singersroom CelebsSay What: Tyra Banks Ready For Marriage ? Posted on Mar. 17th, 2010 by Sir Platinum Graham. Tyra Banks. Media mogul/model/host and Emmy winner Tyra Banks may be heading down the aisle in the near future… According to Banks' right hand ... Continue reading
Actin' A Fool: Chelsea Lately Roasting Tyra Banks! “Black Ppl Be ...Actin' A Fool: Chelsea Lately Roasting Tyra Banks! “Black Ppl Be. Previous. Post by Michael Shawn in Tri-State 411 on Mar 19, 2010 at 1:59 pm. Share with Friends! BlackPlanet · TwitThis · Facebook · E-mail this story to a friend! ... Continue reading
Tyra Banks • w i t h l o v e t y r a . c o m - Your Largest Tyra ...Welcome to With love Tyra. Your largest and most updated source for Talk Show host, Daytime Emmy winning, actress, executive producer, and one of the world's sought after supermodel, Tyra Banks. Make sure you take a look around and ... Continue reading
Yahoo GirlsThis entry was posted on Friday, March 19th, 2010 at 9:24 pm and is filed under Tyra Banks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. ... Continue reading
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