Tyra Banks

Former supermodel, an American television personality, former talk show host, producer, author, actress, singer and business woman. She was the first black model to appear on the cover of a "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit issue and the first black woman to be featured on the cover of the "Victoria's Secret" catalog.

Tyra’s parents divorced when she was six. Her mother read to her when she was a young child, and as she grew older, reading became an enduring passion. She was a good student who earned good grades despite being quite mischievous and often in trouble, usually for excessive talking during class. She recalls thinking that she was much smarter than her teachers, and she often challenged their authority. Although extroverted and popular with lots of friends until age 11, she then went through a major growth spurt. Feeling awkward in her new taller, slimmer body, she withdrew into her love of books, and it wasn’t until age 17 that her self-esteem improved. While still in high school, she made plans to attend Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, but instead the Elite Modeling Agency discovered her and signed her to an exclusive contract.

Quickly becoming one of the most desired models of the 1990s, Tyra moved to Paris for a year. Working with top designers like Ralph Lauren, Chanel and Oscar de la Renta, her fame quickly grew. Eventually she decided to add acting to her resume, and she landed roles in "Higher Learning" "Love Change," and “Coyote Ugly” as well as guest spots on television sitcoms like "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Naturally athletic, Tyra loves to play tennis, golf, volleyball and basketball, and she adores snorkeling. She craves variety in her workouts so her exercise sessions sometimes consist of long hikes in the mountains or runs at the beach.

In 2003, Banks created and became the host of the UPN/The CW long-running reality television show America's Next Top Model.