You remember the smize, right? That sharp, squinty-eyed stare that launched a thousand memes and basically defined reality TV for a solid decade. For years, Tyra Banks was everywhere. She was the face of America’s Next Top Model, the high-energy host of The Tyra Banks Show, and eventually, the polarizing replacement for Tom Bergeron on Dancing with the Stars. Then, she kinda just... vanished from the Hollywood circuit.
One minute she’s wearing a different wig every Tuesday on daytime TV, and the next, she's virtually invisible on the US awards show trail. People started asking if she was retired or if she’d been "canceled" for some of those ANTM clips that aged like milk (looking at you, "gap-tooth" episode).
Honestly, the truth is way more interesting than a simple retirement. Tyra didn’t just fade away; she staged a massive pivot that involved moving halfway across the world, fighting a multi-million dollar lawsuit, and making a comeback that nobody—not even her—actually expected.
The Victoria’s Secret Comeback Nobody Saw Coming
Let’s talk about 2024. Most people thought Tyra’s runway days were buried in a time capsule from 2005. But then, she literally popped up out of the floor at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
She was 50 years old. She hadn't walked that specific stage in nearly 20 years.
It was a huge deal because Tyra was the first Black woman to ever sign a contract with the brand, so seeing her close the 2024 show felt like a full-circle moment. She didn’t look like the 19-year-old Tyra, and she was vocal about that. On The Drew Barrymore Show, she admitted she was about 40 to 50 pounds heavier than her "Angel" days.
She felt like a "vessel" for women her age. It wasn't about being the skinniest girl in the room anymore; it was about the stomp. And man, did she stomp.
But then, 2025 rolled around, and the lights stayed off for her. When fans wondered where she was for the next show, she revealed she was busy "Down Under." She’s been living a secret life in Australia, and it's not just for the surfing.
Why She’s Currently Living in Sydney
If you happened to be at a Kmart or a Target in a Sydney suburb over the last year, you might have walked right past a world-famous supermodel. Tyra has been living in Australia for over 18 months now.
She’s traded the "glitz and glamor" for what she calls a relaxed lifestyle. She told The Daily Telegraph that her days now consist of getting breakfast at the mall with her son, York, going to a movie, and getting foot massages.
"We don't do that in America," she said, calling mall culture a "dying pastime" in the States.
It’s a weirdly humble shift for someone who once had a talk show audience screaming her name every afternoon. But she didn't move there just to hide. She moved there to build an empire. Or at least, an ice cream empire.
The Smize & Dream Drama
Tyra is obsessed with ice cream. She launched a brand called Smize & Dream, which features "hidden" surprises at the bottom of the container.
The strategy has been... unique. She’s created an alter ego called "Santa SMiZE" (who apparently has a Southern accent?) to promote "Hot Ice Cream"—a dessert that melts into a warm drink. It’s quirky. It’s confusing. It’s very Tyra.
But it hasn't all been sprinkles and rainbows. Back in the US, things got messy.
The $3 Million Lawsuit
While she was opening a flagship store in Sydney’s Darling Harbour in June 2025, a landlord in Washington, D.C. was filing paperwork to sue her.
- The Claim: The landlord, Christopher Powell, says Tyra and her partner, Louis Bélanger-Martin, signed a 10-year lease for a flagship store in D.C. and then just... walked away.
- The Number: He's looking for roughly $2.8 million in damages.
- The Defense: Tyra’s legal team called it a "celebrity shakedown."
They’re currently in a legal freeze-out. While the D.C. shop never opened, she’s been doing pop-ups in New York and Los Angeles through early 2026. She’s leaning into the "different is better than better" philosophy she used to teach at Stanford.
Stepping Away from the Spotlight
So, why did she leave Dancing with the Stars?
The reception to her hosting was, to put it lightly, mixed. Fans of the old format didn't love the "Tyra Show" energy she brought to the ballroom. In 2023, she finally called it quits after three seasons.
She told TMZ it was time to "graduate from the dance floor to the stock market floor." Basically, she wanted to be a CEO more than she wanted to be a TV personality. She’s been focusing on her company, Bankable Productions, and her teaching.
Yes, she’s still "Professor Tyra" in many circles. She co-taught a personal branding class at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. She’s obsessed with the "business of being yourself."
What Tyra Banks Looks Like Today
At 52, Tyra is leaning into a "natural" vibe, though she’s very honest about having had a nose job early in her career. At the 2025 Fashion L.A. Awards, where she won the Fashion Icon Award, she looked different—thicker eyebrows, radiant skin, and a bit more weight in her face.
She’s been very open about the fact that she likes having a bit of "juice" in her face because it keeps her looking younger without needing as many injections.
"I do think one secret is extra weight because I've not been too skinny," she said. It’s a message of body neutrality that she’s been preaching for a long time, even if her early TV shows didn't always reflect that perfectly.
Actionable Insights for Following Tyra's Current Path
If you're wondering how to keep up with what she's doing next, here's how to navigate the "new" Tyra:
- Watch the Australian Market: Most of her primary business moves, including her flagship store, are happening in Sydney. If you want to see her next big launch, look at Australian business news first.
- Follow the Smize Pop-ups: She is using a "pop-up" model in the US to test flavors before committing to more permanent locations (likely to avoid more lease issues like the one in D.C.).
- Check Stanford’s Guest Lecturer Lists: She still pops up in academic settings to talk about personal branding. If you're interested in her business philosophy, her Stanford curriculum is the best place to look.
- Look for Behind-the-Scenes Credits: She mentioned she wants to produce more TV where she isn't the face. Keep an eye on the executive producer credits for new reality competitions or scripted YA content (she still has that Modelland book series she wants to adapt).
Tyra isn't "gone"—she’s just redefined what being a mogul looks like in her 50s. She’s less interested in being the most famous person in the room and more interested in being the person who owns the room. Even if that room is a quiet mall in Sydney.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the official Smize & Dream website for 2026 pop-up dates in NYC and LA.
- Review her 2024 Victoria's Secret walk on YouTube to see the shift in her runway style.
- Monitor the D.C. Superior Court filings if you're interested in the outcome of the $2.8 million lease dispute.