5 ways Dancing With The Stars host Tyra Banks made millions, from modelling for Victoria’s Secret, Chanel and Dior to hosting America’s Next Top Model and flipping property

Oct 5 , 2021

Former model, now actress, TV host, author and businesswoman Tyra Banks. Photo: @tyrabanks/Instagram

She walked for Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Fendi, Valentino and Giorgio Armani, and was in campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and Versace

The first black woman on the cover of GQ and Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition, she launched The Tyra Banks Show and wrote the bestselling novel Modelland

As the host of the 2021 season of Dancing With The Stars, Tyra Banks’ return to the series for the second time running will undoubtedly add more millions to the former supermodel’s account. She has been building on her earnings as a model with important TV and film roles since even before she quit the catwalk, compiling a net worth of US$90 million today. So how else did she build her fortune?

Her hugely successful modelling and acting career

A young Tyra Banks. Photo: @femalevibz/Twitter

Kicking off her career in high school at 15, Banks became an elite model with an annual salary of about US$12 million back in the 1990s, per Elle. During that period, she became the first black woman to appear on the covers of GQ, Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition and Victoria’s Secret’s lingerie catalogue, according to Biography.com.

Banks signed lucrative contracts with Cover Girl and Victoria’s Secret, walked in fashion shows for the world’s top brands such as Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Givenchy, Valentino, Fendi, Giorgio Armani and others, and appeared in advertising campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Versace, Pepsi, Nike, and plenty more, as per Celebrity Net Worth.

Tyra Banks was the first black woman who appeared in Victoria’s Secret’s lingerie catalogue. Photo: @tyrabanks/Instagram

Banks’ huge success as a model led to TV appearances, magnifying her earning potential. After appearing in music videos for Michael Jackson, Tina Turner and George Michael in the early 1990s, Banks had her first acting credit as Will Smith’s love interest, Jackie Ames, in The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air.

Tyra Banks on the set of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Photo: @lunchtounge/Twitter

After appearing in films like Life Size, Love Stinks, Love & Basketball and Coyote Ugly, Banks became the creator and host of America’s Next Top Model, which ran for 22 seasons, and the host of America’s Got Talent for two seasons. She also hosted The Tyra Banks Show from 2005 to 2010, from which she pocketed US$18 million a year, per Good Housekeeping. Her reality TV success brought Banks US$30 million per year, Forbes estimated.

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