Tyra Banks — Biography

Tyra Banks launched her modeling profession at just 15 years old, quickly establishing herself as a groundbreaking figure in the industry. She became the first Black woman to grace the covers of both GQ magazine and Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition, appearing on the latter publication's cover twice. Throughout the 1997 to 2005 period, she served as a Victoria's Secret Angel, helping cement her status as one of the world's highest-paid models. By January 2026, her social media presence had grown substantially, with 7.2 million Instagram followers and over 22,300 YouTube subscribers. Standing at dress size 6 and shoe size 9, the Sagittarius native has built a multifaceted career spanning television hosting and production, business ventures, acting, writing, and occasional singing performances. She is perhaps most recognized for her prominent role creating and hosting America's Next Top Model. During an appearance on the competition series, Banks revealed the results of a genealogical DNA test conducted through Ancestry.com, disclosing her ethnic breakdown as 79 percent African, 14 percent British, and 6 percent Native American. In a subsequent interview, she expanded on these findings by noting an additional 1 percent Finnish ancestry, describing her overall heritage as predominantly African with smaller percentages from British, Native American, and Finnish backgrounds.