Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks is an American model, television personality, producer, writer, actress, and entrepreneur.

Tyra Banks is an American model, television personality, producer, writer, actress, and entrepreneur. She rose to international fame in the 1990s as a top fashion model and became widely known for hosting *America's Next Top Model* and *The Tyra Banks Show*. She was a face of CoverGirl and Victoria’s Secret and was a Victoria’s Secret Angel from 1997 to 2005.

Early life and modelling career

Tyra Banks was born in Inglewood, California, and began modelling as a teenager. She rose quickly through the fashion industry and became a prominent runway and print model in the 1990s. She became one of the best-known supermodels of the 1990s and early 2000s, and was a face of CoverGirl and Victoria’s Secret, serving as a Victoria’s Secret Angel from 1997 to 2005.

Television career

Banks became a major television figure through *America's Next Top Model*, which she hosted from 2003 to 2015 and again from 2017 to 2018. She also hosted *The Tyra Banks Show* from 2005 to 2010, which won Daytime Emmy Awards during its run. She later hosted other TV projects, expanding her profile beyond modelling.

Business ventures

Banks has built a career as an entrepreneur alongside entertainment work. Her ventures have included beauty and lifestyle brands, such as Tyra Beauty, a beauty-related venture she launched.

Cultural significance

Banks is often cited as a pioneering Black figure in fashion media. She was the first Black woman to appear solo on the covers of *GQ* and the *Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue*. Her visibility on major magazine covers and television made her a widely recognized public figure.