"Black women have always been these vixens, these animalistic erotic women. Why can't we just be the sexy American girl next door?"
Tyra Lynne Banks (born December 4, 1973 in Inglewood, California) is an African-American supermodel, actress, TV talk show host, author (Tyra Banks Basic Face, and Modelland), and TV producer from Inglewood, California.
She first became famous for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue where, in 1997 she became the first African-American model to appear solo on the cover.note She also created the Reality Show America's Next Top Model. She also has branched out into acting, with roles in such films as Higher Learning, Coyote Ugly and Halloween: Resurrection.
Acting credits
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1993) as Jackie Ames
- Higher Learning (1995) as Deja
- All That (1996) as Customer
- New York Undercover (1997) as Natasha Claybourne
- Space Ghost Coast to Coast (1998) as herself (voice)
- Just Shoot Me! (1999) as herself
- Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1999) as Barbie Q. Pepper (voice)
- Love Stinks (1999) as Holly Garnett
- The Hughleys (1999) as Nicole
- Mad TV (2000) as Katisha
- Love & Basketball (2000) as Kyra Kessler
- Life-Size (2000) as Eve
- Coyote Ugly (2000) as Zoe
- Felicity (2000) as Jane Scott
- Soul Food (2001) as Nina Joseph
- Halloween: Resurrection (2002) as Nora Winston
- Eight Crazy Nights (2002) as Victoria's Secret Gown (voice)
- American Dreams (2004) as Carolyn Gill
- Mr. Woodcock (2007) as herself
- Tropic Thunder (2008) as herself
- Gossip Girl (2009) as Ursula Nyqvist
- Shake it Up (2012-13) as Mrs. Burke
- Glee (2013) as Bichette
- black•ish (2016) as Gigi
Other credits
- America's Next Top Model (2003-15, 2018) — Creator, producer, and judge. She also hosted all seasons with the exception of Cycle 23 (which was hosted by Rita Ora).
- The New Celebrity Apprentice (2017) — Judge
- America's Got Talent (2017-18) — Host for season 12
- Dancing with the Stars (2020) — Host and executive producer for season 29
Writing credits
- Modelland (2011)
The following FIERCE tropes are associated with Ms. Tyra Banks.
- Arch-Enemy: For a time, Naomi Campbell, although it wasn't so much hatred as fear on Tyra's part. They eventually resolved any issues they had between each other.
- As Herself: On the Just Shoot Me! episodes "Nina Sees Red Pt.1" and "Nina Sees Red Pt. 2," and cameos in the films Mr. Woodcock, Tropic Thunder and Hannah Montana: The Movie.
- The Eponymous Show: The Tyra Banks Show.
- Godiva Hair: She's done this in a variety of photo shoots. The cover of the January 2000 issue of GQ had this, since she was only wearing bikini bottoms, and the cover read, "Tyra, Please Pull Your Hair Back!"
- Lingerie Scene: In fashion shows, and Season 2, Episode 45 of The Tyra Banks Show was titled "Panty Party".
- Made-for-TV Movie: 2000's ABC fantasy/comedy Life-Size, where she played a fashion doll that had magically come to life.
- Nipple and Dimed: Zig-zagged all over the place. Sometimes she will play it completely straight with Hand-or-Object Underwear or Godiva Hair. Other times she'll go strutting down the runway braless in see-through outfits.
- Pretty in Mink: In a Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, one of the outfits she modeled included a white fox wrap and a Showgirl Skirt trimmed with white fox.
- Real Women Have Curves: Does she ever. She talked about usually being 20 lbs. heavier than the other models during her active career and that her curves got her noticed.
- Reality Show: America's Next Top Model
- She's Back: She's on the cover of the 2019 Swimsuit Issue at age 45.
- Start My Own: Two reality shows (the other was the less-successful True Beauty) and a philanthropic organization called TZONE.
- Walking Swimsuit Scene: Various photo shoots, particularly for Sports Illustrated.
- Vanity Plate: A bank vault, for her company Bankable Productions.
