Tyra Banks took the stage at the 2025 ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards, delivering a speech that was raw, honest, and unapologetic. Accepting the first-ever Luminary Spotlight honor, Banks directly addressed the backlash surrounding America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) and her legacy in the industry.
“Did We Get It Right? Hell No.”
Banks, 51, spoke candidly about the controversial moments on ANTM, acknowledging, “I said some dumb s—.” However, she didn’t let that overshadow what the show accomplished.
“Over 20 years ago, I created a show called America’s Next Top Model,” Banks began. “And you guys have no idea how hard we fought to bring diversity to that television show at a time when it didn’t exist.”
She reminded the audience that breaking barriers wasn’t easy, and she fought to showcase models of different races, sizes, and backgrounds when the industry wasn’t ready for that conversation.
Owning the Backlash
In 2020, ANTM came under fire when old clips resurfaced, including moments where Banks told a contestant to “fix” her gap teeth and a race-swapping challenge that involved blackface.
Banks didn’t run from the criticism.
“I refuse to have my legacy be about some stuff linked together on the Internet when there were 24 cycles of changing the world.”
She admitted the show wasn’t perfect, but emphasized that ANTM helped redefine beauty standards long before diversity became a buzzword.
Pushing for Representation in Fashion
Banks revealed the pushback she faced when casting non-traditional beauties on ANTM.
“Why can the girl from the trailer park become a supermodel but the girl that’s chillin’ in the park in the hood can’t?”
She stood firm in her belief that ANTM helped level the playing field and opened doors for future models who didn’t fit the industry’s outdated beauty standards.
“We fought, and we struggled, and we made it happen.”
Embracing Herself at 51
With humor and confidence, Banks also talked about self-love and aging in the public eye.
“And now my 51-year-old, dimpled, cellulite-covered bigger tummy and 10 million times bigger titties is walking through that door that I opened with all of us behind us on that runway saying, ‘Baby, it’s just the beginning.’”
Her speech was met with thunderous applause, showing that her impact extends far beyond the modeling world.
KMOB1003’s Take
Tyra Banks has always been a trailblazer, and while ANTM had its problematic moments, it also changed the face of fashion and TV. Her ability to own her mistakes while celebrating her wins is what keeps her legacy relevant.
What do you think? Did Tyra’s speech hit the mark, or does she still have more to answer for? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
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