Actors - Tyra Banks

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	Actors - Tyra Banks

Tyra Lynne Banks (born December 4, 1973) is an American supermodel, actress, television personality, and talk show host. She is one of most widely-recognized African Americans among the top models in the world and, along with the United Kingdom's Naomi Campbell, part of an elite group of supermodels of known African descent.

Biography

Banks was born in Los Angeles, California, raised in Inglewood, 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; she was considered to be an "ugly duckling". Banks later said that this was a very difficult time for her and she developed a "very strong self-image problem." She is currently ranked as the 4th highest earning supermodel.

In 1991, Banks was about to begin her freshman year at Loyola Marymount University when Elite modeling agency 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 deem 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 college."

Consequently, instead of heading to university, Banks went to Paris for fashion shows and soon gained international renown for her work for high-fashion designers such as Versace, Yves Saint Laurent and Dolce&Gabbana. After several years, it emerged that Naomi Campbell was not particularly fond of Banks' increasing success, with the British supermodel trying to have Banks excluded from shows for Chanel. The pair since reconciled their differences during a taping of The Tyra Banks Show in 2005.

Banks' career took off when she made the move from high-fashion to a commercial market. She was the first African-American to be featured on the covers of Gentlemen's Quarterly, Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue, and the Victoria's Secret catalog, but is most famous for her work as a Victoria's Secret angel. In 1997 she won the prestigious Michael Award for Supermodel of the Year.

Banks has done runway shows in Paris, Milan, Tokyo, U.S., and London. She has been featured in a variety of magazines, commercials, and billboards. Her modeling credits include CoverGirl, Swatch, Pepsi, Nike, XOXO, Lenscrafters, Tommy Hilfiger, Victoria's Secret, Ralph Lauren, McDonald's, and Dolce & Gabbana. Banks has graced international fashion magazines, including the covers of Vogue, Elle, Amica, ELLEgirl, L'Officiel, Harper's Bazaar, Photo, Cosmopolitan and Sports Illustrated.

In a time when some fashion models were described as being too skinny, Banks stood out with a more voluptuous physique at 5' 10½" tall and reported measurements of 34½-23½-35½. Banks had to work hard to persuade fashion designers that her physique was well-suited to the catwalk and ultimately walked for the best haute couture designers all over the world. Later on in her career, Banks decided that the world of high-fashion was no longer something she wished to pursue and so began seeking work in the commercial side of fashion. She says: "I was proactive 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 openly proud of her body, once commenting, "Some models are quite 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. Black men love big butts." Banks has made a point of shaking with her posterior while walking down the runway, particularly during Victoria's Secret fashion shows. This has been commented upon by fans of the supermodel, fellow supermodel Heidi Klum, as well as Banks herself.

Despite her phenomenal success as a supermodel, Banks began venturing from modeling to becoming a media personality after 2000. She is the emcee, head judge, and an executive producer of the hit UPN television show America's Next Top Model. Banks also enjoyed a brief stint as a recording artist and during season two of America's Next Top Model the contestants danced in her first music video for the single 'Shake Ya Body' produced by experienced record producer Darkchild.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Tyra Banks ]

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Actors - Tyra Banks

Biography

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