Tyra Banks quotes

Tyra Banks is an American television personality, supermodel, and businesswoman. She gained international fame as a Victoria's Secret Angel and creator of "America's Next Top Model." She has inspired many as a pioneer in the fashion industry and advocate for body positivity. Here are 77 of her quotes:

I was embarrassed when a businessman friend asked, 'What's the yearly budget of your talk show? What's the per-episode budget?' And I looked at him with these blank, typical-model eyes and said, 'I don't know.' I call myself a businesswoman and I don't know that? So that is my goal next year--to really dissect the budget.

Tyra Banks

Smiles come naturally to me, but I started thinking of them as an art form at my command. I studied all the time. I looked at magazines, I'd practice in front of the mirror and I'd ask photographers about the best angles. I can now pull out a smile at will.

Tyra Banks

I've been singing for six years. I've been in and out of the studios with top producers, but it wasn't something I was ready to express to the public or to the press. I wasn't ready to come out. I wanted to perfect my voice and be 100 percent positive that I could come out right.

Tyra Banks

I get so much mail from young girls who say, 'I look up to you, you're not as skinny as everyone else, I think you're beautiful' ... So when they say that my body is 'ugly' and 'disgusting,' what does that make those girls feel like?

Tyra Banks

A smart model is a good model.

Tyra Banks

Take responsiblilty for yourself because no one's going to take responsibility for you.

Tyra Banks

Journalists told me that a talk show wouldn't work. Some told me I was going to get canceled before my first season was up. Before I did one show, they were, like 'Why do you want to do this? Do you know that 90 percent of talk shows don't get a second season? You're a model. People just see you as a model.

Tyra Banks

Flaws are awesome - so, 'flawsome!' I love making up a word.

Tyra Banks

And I do know about body image. About worrying about it. I made my living being 20 or 30 pounds heavier than the average model. And that's where I got famous. Victoria's Secret said I sold more bras and panties than anybody else, and I was traipsing down that runway with 30 pounds more booty than the other girls. So it had a lot to do with my success, my weight, but it's also always been an issue for me, so I can relate.

Tyra Banks

It's not like I want to hop on a bandwagon, because I said it 15 years ago - bringing a child into your life who is not genetically yours is one of the most beautiful things you can do. But I'm also interested in having my own baby, too.

Tyra Banks

I had had an extroverted personality with a lot of friends, but when I lost the weight and grew so tall, I withdrew within myself.

Tyra Banks

I loved planning 'The Tyra Show' more than actually having to do it. I loved coming up with show ideas, honing each program and crafting it. I'm more excited being in a meeting than being on TV.

Tyra Banks

Models now need to promote themselves, think like businesswomen and diversify their careers by doing other things. Chances are very slim that a mere model will become a household name today.

Tyra Banks

I have so many goals.

Tyra Banks

I talked about adopting a baby when I was 20 years old, before it became 'hip.'

Tyra Banks

People always ask me if I'm going to stop modeling because I have started an acting career. I hope to continue to model for years to come.

Tyra Banks

I made my living being 20 or 30 pounds heavier than the average model. And that's where I got famous.

Tyra Banks

Self-love has very little to do with how you feel about your outer self. It's about accepting all of yourself.

Tyra Banks

I don't go to the cool, trendy restaurants. I go to either the holes in the wall or the super-fancy restaurants where there are no cool people.

Tyra Banks

I've always seen modeling as a stepping stone.

Tyra Banks

From offstage until the moment I walk onstage, I constantly tweak my talk show and 'Top Model', but at the same time, I often leave my private life by the wayside.

Tyra Banks

I was backstage in Paris and saw Cindy Crawford doing House Of Style. I thought, I would love to to be in control of my career.

Tyra Banks