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
When I was a young girl, I lost a lot of weight over one summer - involuntarily - and was just really depressed and sad. There was nothing I could do to gain weight. I would look in the mirror and call myself disgusting every day.
Years ago, when I first started wearing hair extensions, I would get mail from young girls, or young girls would come up to me and they would say, 'Tyra you have the most beautiful hair, like I could never grow hair like that!' And I would say 'Child, this is a weave!'
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.
Believe it or not, I don't wake up looking like a supermodel.
I don't wake up with naturally sculpted cheekbones - I paint them on!
I am a businesswoman who goes to work every single day.
On 'America's Top Model,' I've always told my girls to smile with their eyes. We call it 'smizing.' Over the years, it's actually become part of pop culture. I would be walking down the street, and girls would say, 'Smize!'
Don't save bold lashes and red lips for nighttime - do it in the day!
I don't think cellulite is great - that's not a flaw that I want in a photo by any means! I retouch that crap out. But I tell women that I'm retouching it out.
We are often told we can't have brains and beauty, and I really hope that my message is that you can put on that red lip and curl your hair and put on that power dress - you don't have to sacrifice one for the other.
When I was a model, they called me 'Tyra;' now it's 'Ms. Banks.'
Sometimes I'll use four or five different photo apps on one photo just to get it where I want it to be.
Not wearing make-up? I can do it, and don't think twice.
I'm not in a position to tell heavy people anything.