MAIN Art & ... Pop Culture Pop Icons Tyra Banks

Born Tyra Lynne Banks on December 4, 1973 in Los Angeles, California, the future supermodel was about to begin college when, at 17, she was signed with the Elite agency to her first professional modeling assignment in Paris.

Her striking looks and willowly figure made her an international sensation, and much sought after for commercials, billboards, print ads and magazine covers.

Cover Girl, Tommy Hilfiger, and Ralph Lauren was only a few of the high fashion names that Banks represented during her career when, in 1996, she made history by becoming the first African-American woman to grace the cover of both GQ and Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue. Most popular public attention, however, (especially among male fans) has usually been given to her sultry appearance in the Victoria's Secret catalog.

Banks retired from modeling in 2005 to concentrate on her television career, and took the final strut down the runway at that year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

Currently, Banks is the the executive producer, judge, and host of the UPN television competition America's Next Top Model. and also stars in the syndicated hour-long talk fest, The Tyra Banks Show.

Her rise to iconic status was cemented in 2008 when The New York Times featured her on a Sunday Magazine cover heralding the TV talk show diva as the rightful heir to Oprah Winfrey.

Unmarried, Banks has been romantically linked to film director John Singleton and NBA basketball player Chris Webber.

Tyra Banks - Yahoo! Movies - Biography, movie appearances, photo gallery and related links, with a feature on upcoming episodes of America's Next Top Model.

Tyra Banks Online - A major fan site featuring news, gossip and rumors, interview archive, more than a dozen picture galleries, video clips, wallpaper, screensaver and more.

Tyra Banks - Wikipedia - Complete bio & career highlights, TV & film credits, and an extensive list of related links & resources.

The Tyra Banks Picture Pages - Four picture galleries, a biography and related links.

also see in Pop Icons -> Pamela Anderson | Carmen Electra

Oprah Winfrey | Anna Nicole Smith | Howard Stern

Martha Stewart | Donald Trump