At the age of 20, Tyra Banks was the first black woman to sign for a cosmetic company. At the age of 23, she was the first black model to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated 's Swimsuit issue. Now she is the world`s most accomplished African-American model and her passion for what she does is inspiring.

Though it might now be hard to believe, Tyra was a tall, skinny and awkward adolescent, constantly teased by her brother and her classmates. Late in high school, everything changed for her. She gained weight, began to work out and finally decided to become a model. Tyra pursued that goal with the determination that now marks all of her activities.

Tyra's first real movie role came in John Singleton's Higher Learning. She played a supporting role of Omar Epps' track-running girlfriend, critics were impressed by the intensity she brought to the screen. Unlike other supermodels playing at being an actress -- her performance was the real thing. She even did some distance-running training, in order to turn in a more believable performance. When the film came out, movie offers began to roll in, but Tyra chose not to act in just anything. Instead, she continued her meteoric ascent in her modeling career.

She only really began to work in Hollywood last year, with a small part in Love Stinks. She got a supporting role in a popular independent film Love and Basketball and a lead role in Life-Size – in which she played a doll brought to life by a wish.

Now, with an important part in Coyote Ugly, Tyra is back in the limelight. She plays a wild bartender, which is quite ironic because she has said several times that she doesn't drink alcohol. She doesn't watch what she eats, though, unlike most other models; she often eats barbecued ribs, fried chicken wings, ice cream, and fast-food. She plays lots of sports, particularly basketball and tennis, to stay in shape and makes sure she always has fun while exercising.

The future looks bright for Tyra Banks. She is one of the richest supermodels in the world, with a personal wealth recently valued at 8.8 million dollars, and there were even rumors a few months ago that Oprah Winfrey is grooming her to take over her show.