|
Tyra Banks (born December 4, 1973) is an African-American "supermodel", that is, one of the top models in the world.
She was born in Los Angeles, California and attended Immaculate Heart High School. In 1991, Tyra was just weeks away from starting her freshman year at college when Elite, a fashion magazine, gave the 17-year-old her first modelling job. Instead of heading to school, she headed to Paris for fashion shows, and Tyra became internationally known. She is now featured in a wide array of magazines, commercials, and billboards. Her credits include Cover Girl, Swatch, Pepsi, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and Dolce & Gabbana, among many others.
She was the first African-American to feature on the cover of Gentlemen's Quarterly, Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue and the Victoria's Secret catalog. It was her Victoria's Secret work in particular that made her famous. In 1997, Tyra won the prestigious Michael Award for Supermodel of the Year.
She is the executive producer (with Kevin Mok), chief judge, and host of the UPN television show America's Next Top Model, which chronicles the transformation of everyday young women into potentially fierce supermodels.
In 2004 Banks released an album of dance and pop music. A single, "Shake Ya Body," was released and ignored.
In addition to having recurring roles in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, as Will Smith's old friend from Philadephia, and in the college drama Felicity, Banks has also appeared in numerous movies.
Filmography
|
