Longtime 'ANTM' host, Tyra Banks has been making headlines as a docuseries has been released, recently. Amid this, let's have a look at the creator and the host, Tyra's personal life!
Tyra Banks has been grabbing the headlines with the release of the docuseries, Reality Check: America's Next Top Model. The docu-series was released in three parts, where former contestants, executive producer Ken Mok, and judges like Jay Manuel, Miss J. Alexander and Nigel Barker, looked back at their journey with the series, which ran for 15 seasons from 2003 to 2018. Amid this, let's have a look at Tyra Banks' personal life. People have been wondering if Tyra Banks is married. For the unversed, Tyra is a mom to York Banks Asla. Let's look into her personal life.
Tyra Banks was in a relationship with Erik Asla for five years before they welcomed their son, York Banks Asla, in 2016, via surrogacy. Well, Tyra and Erik parted ways in 2017, amicably. Following this, Tyra fell in love with Louis Belanger-Martin. It cannot be confirmed how and when Tyra met Louis exactly, however, it was known that she and Louis Belanger-Martin went public with their relationship in 2019, when they were first photographed.
Following this, in October 2019, Page Six reported that the couple were out on several cosy dinner dates. In June 2022, Tyra Banks and Louis Belanger-Martin made their relationship official, as they debuted at the TIME 100 Gala. The duo didn't walk the red carpet together, but they appeared at the event, confirming the speculations around them being in a relationship.
Tyra and Louis Belanger-Martin have been together for several years now. But to mention, the couple didn't get married, as far as it is known. In an interview on Today With Jeena and Friends, Tyra revealed that Louis Belanger-Martin is super supportive. She also added that men date several women at the same time, just like a fishing net, until they find the right one, while women use a fishing pole instead. She further encouraged the ladies to learn to throw a net instead, while adding that her beau, Louis Belanger-Martin, was inside the net, which obviously was a metaphor, she used to explain her love story. She could be quoted as saying:
"So all these men, they throw a net [and say], ‘This one, this one, this one, this one’ at the same time. Men narrow down until they find the one, while women tend to use a “fishing pole”. Throw the net, ladies! And look at them and then go, ‘OK, I want you,’ because that’s what they’re doing to us. Louis was in the net, honey! I threw those fish out so quick, and I got the best goldfish."
Talking about Louis Belanger-Martin, he is the chief financial officer in Banks’ hot ice cream brand SMiZE Cream, a role which he began in 2020. Apart from that, Louis Bealanger is also a CPA, and he has a business administration degree from the University of Quebec and a law degree from the University of Montreal. Louis Bealanger also co-founded investment firm Groupe W Inc and was previously employed with C-suites of Advanced Inflight Alliance, DTI Software and Global Eagle Entertainment.
If the past reports are to be believed, in the 90s, speculations were rife that Tyra Banks dated director and writer, John Singleton. Buzz was rife that the duo met through common friends, and following this, Tyra got an opportunity to play the part of 'Deja' in the movie, Higher Learning. Later, Tyra Banks denied the claims of being in a relationship with Singleton, while adding that they were seeing each other for four months back then, and it was not that serious. She further added that Singleton approached her for the role, but that was much before they started dating. She also mentioned being grateful that people loved her role, although she said that she was quite sure that people would still talk behind her back about the same. Tyra could be quoted as saying:
"I got insecure about it at first. But afterward, people were coming up to me and telling me how they loved this scene or that scene. I believed them. After working in the fashion business so long, you know when people are lying … I told him, ‘People are going to say I got it because I’m your girl.’ No one has said anything to my face, but I’m sure it’s going on behind my back."
Following this, in 1993, Trya Banks reportedly dated Will Smith briefly. It was during the same time that Tyra was on her first ever acting gig as a guest-star as Smith’s ex-girlfriend 'Jackie from Philadelphia' in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Reports didn't reveal what happened between the couple, as it seemed, the couple were together for a few months before they parted ways, amicably. Tyra also dated singer-songwriter, Seal. In 1996, the duo attended the Essence Awards together, following which, they also appeared at the World Music Awards the following month, to make their relationship public. Seal released an album named Human Being, which was earlier speculated to be about Banks.
However, later Seal revealed that nothing about the album was about Tyra and rather their relationship was never dramatic in that way. Tyra also dated rapper Drake briefly. In 2013, the duo went on a date at Disneyland, although Drake shared that he was not sure whether it was a date or a get-together. In October 2013, Banks even called out Drake on The Steve Harvey Show. While nothing in extensive detail is available, it seemed Tyra and Drake dated for a couple of months before they parted ways amicably. Calling out Drake, Tyra said:
"Drake rhymes with snake but no he ain’t, he’s more like a lion / Going on Ellen but not lyin’, telling the truth what’s up dude, about that day on Disneyland / You ain’t my man, right now / But why you gotta not kiss and tell, but chill and tell / You goin’ to jail / And this is my Tyra mail."
What do you think about Tyra Banks's dating history and her current relationship with Louis Belanger-Martin?
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