Tyra Banks was raised in Inglewood, California with her brother Devin, and attended Immaculate Heart High School, an all-girls, independent Catholic private school in Los Angeles. Growing up, she was very thin and often teased, considered to be ugly by her peers. Banks later said that this was a very difficult period for her and she developed a “very strong self-image problem.” She began her television career as an actress with recurring roles in “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “Felicity.” She also starred in the Disney made-for-television movie, “Life Size.” Tyra's film experience includes leading roles in John Singleton's “Higher Learning” and Jerry Bruckheimer's “Coyote Ugly.”
She was the first African-American to be featured on the covers of “GQ” and the “Sports Illustrated” Swimsuit Issue, and is most noted for her work as a “Sports Illustrated” swimsuit model, Victoria's Secret model, and talk-show hostess. In 1997 she won the prestigious Michael Award for Supermodel of the Year. 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,” and also receives executive producer credits for all Top Model spinoffs.
Banks retired from modeling in May 2005. She made her final walk down the runway at the 2005 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Banks said the reason she retired from the runway was so she could concentrate more on her television career.
Though Banks has been romantically involved with a number of public figures (including director John Singleton, investment banker Craig Davis, basketball player Chris Webber, and musician Seal), she has stated that she prefers to date non-celebrities, as she strongly dislikes and wishes to avoid the intense pressure and media scrutiny that come with being in a relationship with another famous person.
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