Tyra Banks was the first African-American to be featured on the covers of  GQ, and Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue magazines. She now appears in a variety of magazines, commercials, and billboards and is most famous for her work as a Victoria's Secret model. Her modeling credits include runway and print work for CoverGirl, Swatch, Pepsi, Nike, XOXO, LensCrafters, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, McDonald's, Dolce & Gabbana, Yves Saint-Laurent, Chanel, Escada, Anna Sui, Liz Claiborne and Richard Tyler. Banks has appeared on international fashion magazine covers, including Vogue, ELLE, Amica, ELLEgirl, L'Officiel, Harper's Bazaar, Photo, Cosmopolitan and Sports Illustrated. Banks has participated in runway shows in Paris, Milan, Tokyo, London and the U.S. In 1997, she won the prestigious Michael Award for Supermodel of the Year.

Despite her immense success as a supermodel, Banks ventured from modeling to becoming a media personality after 2000. She is the host, head judge, and executive producer of the hit television show America's Next Top Model. Banks also acts as the patron for TZONE, a leadership program created by Banks for young girls that according to the organization, "reinforces core values of trust and support, challenges teen girls to resist negative social pressures, and enhances self-empowerment�inspiring girls to become confident leaders in their communities." She has also established the Tyra Banks Scholarship, a fund aimed at providing African-American girls the opportunity to attend her alma mater.

Banks' television career began on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but she also appeared on Felicity and starred in an episode of MADtv. She currently hosts The Tyra Banks Show, a daytime talk show which features stories about everyday people mixed in with celebrity interviews.

Banks appeared in Michael Jackson's "Black or White" video. In total, she has three singles and one upcoming album of her own.She has had minor roles in many films over the years including: Higher Learning, Life-Size, Love Stinks, Coyote Ugly and Halloween: Resurrection.