TYRA BANKS
As an icon in the international, cultural, and entertainment communities, Tyra Banks has broken down barriers to become one of the most admired and watched individuals in media today.
Banks is on a mission to provide avenues for others to reach their ultimate goals. In her words: "I’m passionate about inspiring people to fulfill their own dreams and fantasies through entertainment that is engaging, uplifting, and of course, fun! This is my dream realized.”
In spring 2008, Banks appeared on the cover of The New York Times Magazine in a piece titled “Martha, Oprah, Tyra; Is She the Next Big Female Branded Self?” and Entertainment Weekly featured her on the cover saying “America’s Next Top Mogul.” In the same year, she was honored in Hollywood Reporter’s “100 Most Powerful Women in Entertainment,” Entertainment Weekly’s “25 Smartest in Television,” Glamour magazine’s coveted “Women of the Year,” and came in at #1 on Forbes “Primetime TV’s Top Earning Women” report. In 2007, Banks was saluted as a trailblazer and received a BET Honors award for her work in media alongside Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons and other notables. Also in 2007, Banks was placed in Time Magazine’s “Most Influential People in the World” report for the second year in a row. In 2006, Forbes profiled Banks on their highly-anticipated "Celebrity 100" report for the first time.
TV Icon
When America watches television, it’s hard to miss the talent and reach of Tyra Banks. In 2003, Banks became a true pioneer in reality TV when she created, executive produced, and hosted the tremendously successful “America’s Next Top Model.” The show quickly became a phenomenon and was UPN's most-watched program for six cycles. In 2006, “Top Model” was chosen to launch the brand new CW Network. The premiere was the best ever in the 18-34 demographic and one of the largest viewing audiences in the show’s history. “Top Model” is also a hit internationally, with the American edition appearing in more than 100 countries, with an additional 20 countries adapting their own version. The show is celebrating its 10th cycle and in February 2008 aired its 100th episode.
With the launch of her syndicated daily talk show “The Tyra Banks Show,” Banks became one of the few women to be seen regularly on both daytime and primetime television. Premiered in 2005, the talk show quickly became one of the most popular new daytime programs on the air, and continues to boast the youngest audience in daytime.
In 2007, “The Tyra Banks Show” moved production from Los Angeles to New York, where the city acts as an energizing backdrop. From a sleek New York set, Banks tackles issues both serious and fun, but always entertaining. Every day, Banks reaches millions of viewers discussing topics from personal style, to body image, to politics. In 2008, the show was one of the few television programs to conduct one-hour interviews with leading presidential candidates, including Senator Barack Obama, Senator Hillary Clinton, Gov. Mike Huckabee, and Senator John Edwards. “The Tyra Banks Show” is produced by Banks’s own Bankable Productions in association with Telepictures Productions and distributed by Warner Bros. Television Distribution.
The dedicated efforts of the crew and the highly successful progression of the talk show were validated in June 2008, when the “Tyra Banks Show” won the Daytime Emmy Award for Talk Show, Informative – the first talk show to ever be awarded in this new category.
Media Mogul
Banks created Bankable Productions in 2003, as a subsidiary of her parent company, Bankable Enterprises. The production company develops television shows and feature films that are off-the-charts entertaining, uplifting and have wide appeal across various demographics. Bankable Productions focuses on content that features strong female characters, telling their stories with intelligence, sophistication and of course, the wit and humor synonymous with the Tyra Banks name.
The CW recently announced that Banks will rule the network’s Wednesday night lineup, beginning September 2008, when the new reality series “Stylista” will air immediately following “Top Model.” Banks is executive producing the new primetime series, alongside “Top Model’s” Ken Mok, and producers from “Project Runway.” “Stylista,” is the reality version of the Devil Wears Prada featuring aspiring young hopefuls battling for a coveted fashion editor position with Elle magazine.
As part of a development deal between Warner Premiere and Bankable Productions, Banks introduced her first movie as an executive producer. The Clique, a direct-to-DVD movies based on The New York Times best-selling teen novel series of the same name, released November 2008.
In January 2009, Banks will be introducing “True Beauty,” a primetime series airing on ABC which she will be executive producing alongside another TV producing powerhouse, Ashton Kutcher.
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