One of the worlds top supermodels in the 1990s and into the millennium, Tyra Banks quickly eclipsed the boundaries of that often times limited career to become an actress, philanthropist and television personality with two series under her wing the reality show Americans Next Top Model (UPN/CW, 2003- ), and The Tyra Banks Show (syndicated, 2005- ), her own daytime talk program. Both were considerable hits among young female viewers, though the latter show struck a chord with a broader audience, due to Banks emotional and personal approach to female-related issues such as body image and gender roles.

Born Tyra Lynne Banks in Inglewood, CA on Dec. 4, 1973, she was the daughter of fashion consultant and medical photographer, Carolyn London, and computer programmer, Donald Banks. Her childhood was filled with emotional challenges, beginning with her parents divorce in 1980. She also suffered ridicule at the hands of her brother and classmates for her looks the future face of countless magazine covers and product lines was a tall, thin and awkward pre-teen. Banks apparently overcame this phase sometime in her mid-teens, deciding to explore modeling as a career. Like many aspiring models, she struggled to land a contract with an agency until she was accepted by the Elite Agency at the age of 17. Although she was slated to attend Loyola Marymount College, she abandoned her plans for higher education, relocating to Paris to explore the high fashion world.

Banks striking looks she was 510 and voluptuous made her an overnight sensation in Paris, where she booked a record 25 shows within her first weeks in the country. She quickly racked up an extensive list of credits with the worlds biggest and most acclaimed fashion and makeup companies, including Dolce & Gabbana, Dior, Yves St. Laurent and countless others. Her face graced the front of numerous fashion publications, as well as non-couture-related magazines like GQ and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition; in both cases, she was the first African-American model to appear on their covers (she was also the first black model to grace the cover of the Victorias Secret catalog). Banks achievements earned her praise from fashion and cultural critics, as well an award from VH1 as the Supermodel of the Year in 1997. Banks officially retired from modeling in 2005 with a final catwalk for the Victorias Secret Fashion Show.

Having achieved her dreams as a model, Banks set her sights on media as a whole for her next worlds to conquer. She penned a health and beauty tome, Tyras Beauty Inside and Out, in 1998, and began making appearances in videos by Michael Jackson (1991s Black or White), Tina Turner (1992s Love Thing) and George Michael (1992s Too Funky). Her acting debut came in a naughty 1992 sex drama for British TV called Inferno, but she played it straight for her American TV debut as Will Smiths unrequited love interest in several episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (NBC, 1990-96). She followed this with a more substantial role in then-boyfriend John Singletons drama Higher Learning (1995), but was lambasted by critics for her performance. Undaunted, she persevered with her acting career, racking up a sizable list of television and film appearances, including Love and Basketball (2000); Coyote Ugly (2000), as one of the bartenders at the eponymous watering hole; and Halloween: Resurrection (2004). Her most charming turn came as a doll that comes to life for owner Lindsay Lohan in the Disney TV feature Life Size (2000).

In 2003, Banks served as creator, executive producer, and host of Americas Next Top Model, a reality series/competition which put modeling hopefuls through fairly grueling paces in the hopes of landing an exclusive contract. Banks on-camera presence was exceptionally poised, and if the show occasionally dipped into catty territory in its coverage of repartee and squabbles between the contestants, she remained above it. Banks star power helped to make the show one of the highest rated on UPN prior to its conversion to The CW. After the company change, Americas Next Top Model was the most watched show on The CW.