NAME: Tyra Banks
NATIONALITY: American
HEIGHT: 5'10"
MEASUREMENTS: 36C-24-36
HAIR: Brown
EYES: Brown
BORN: December 4, 1973 in Los Angeles, California.
DISCOVERED: In 1991, Tyra was just weeks away from starting her freshman year at college when she was turned down by four agencies before Elite snatched up the 17-year-old. Instead of school, she headed to Paris for fashion shows.
AGENCY: IMG-New York
INCOME: Made approx. $7 million (U.S.) in 1994. Her estimated worth in 2000 is $8.8 million. Charges $30,000 per fashion show.
RÉSUMÉ: Recently published a book called 'Tyra's Beauty Inside & Out' (HarperPerennial, $16.95 US) with all sorts of beauty tips and info about what it's like being a supermodel. Tyra is also a regular models for Sports Illustrated magazine, Victoria's Secret and Cover Girl. Modeled for Ralph Lauren. Has her own calender and biography. Tyra recently starred in Coyote Ugly and she had major role in movie Higher Learning, in which she is killed. She appears in two music videos: George Michael's Too Funky and Michael Jackson's Black and White. She has also appeared in numerous episodes of 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air', as Will Smith's love interest. She runs her own company Tygirl Inc. and supports numerous charities. Has own book about beauty and modeling called Tyra's Beauty Inside & Out.
HOME: She has an apartment in New York City.
KNOWN FOR: She was the first African-American woman to appear solo on the covers of GQ, Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue and the Victoria's Secret catalog, but it was her Visctoria's Secret ads and catalog work that made her famous.
OTHER: At 23, Tyra not only became the first black model to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, but she also survived the vicious eight month catwalk fight with Naomi Campbell that followed.
Images of Tyra Banks are copyright © left to right: Sports Illustrated magazine
Amber Valetta