Tyra Banks is dating again after splitting from longtime partner Louis Bélanger-Martin. The 52-year-old model discussed her outlook on relationships during a conversation with Nessa on HOT 97 this week, describing how her interest in romance had returned.
For a time, Banks said, she felt content concentrating on her mother and her son, York, without much motivation to pursue another relationship. York, 10, is her child with former partner Erik Asla, the Norwegian photographer.
The former America’s Next Top Model host described feeling more connected to her feminine side through dating. “I think that it’s never too late to start again,” she said.
During a November 12 encounter with TMZ in New York City, she ruled out dating apps. Banks has kept the timing and circumstances of the separation private.
Banks Explains Her Approach to Dating
Banks told Nessa that appearance once carried much more weight in her romantic decisions. She still wants to feel attracted to a partner, but he no longer needs to look like a model. Emotional presence has become more important to her.
She also wants someone with a job and financial stability. As Us Weekly reported, Banks joked about a prospective partner having a 401(k), then explained that he should be able to support himself.
Her expectations extend to how a man treats his family. If he has children, she wants him to be an involved, responsible father. She also discouraged prospective dates from approaching her through social media messages.
Friends have suggested the celebrity dating app Raya as a way to meet people, Banks told TMZ. She responded with a joke about not knowing what it was, brushing aside their recommendation.
Their Relationship Extended Into Her Business
Banks and Bélanger-Martin were publicly linked in October 2019, when they were seen dining at New York restaurant Hutong. Their occasional joint appearances included the 2022 TIME100 Gala and an April 2025 event for the film Shadow Force in Los Angeles.
The Canadian entrepreneur brought experience in technology, aviation entertainment and investment to their professional partnership. According to PEOPLE, he co-founded private investment firm Groupe W Inc. in 1996 and served as chief financial officer of Banks’ ice cream business.
By May 2024, Banks was discussing their shared life in Australia, where she was living and working with Bélanger-Martin and York while developing her ice cream venture. Her business has operated under the SMiZE Cream and SMiZE & DREAM names.
That October, she credited Bélanger-Martin with helping her through doubts about her abilities as an entrepreneur. Speaking on TODAY, Banks explained that success in modeling had not eliminated her worries about whether she was good enough to run a company.
He Joined Her for Television Appearances
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During an October 2024 appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Banks said her partner was backstage as she discussed returning to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. She had spoken with him about how different the experience felt nearly two decades after her runway retirement.
Banks told Barrymore that her earlier walks had been about herself, while the comeback made her feel she was representing other women. She specifically mentioned women around 50 and those struggling with insecurity, explaining that she experienced the runway as something larger than a personal achievement.
Bélanger-Martin was in the studio again when Banks co-hosted TODAY With Jenna & Friends in April 2025. She described dating as casting a wide net before choosing a partner, prompting Jenna Bush Hager to ask whether he had been among the fish. Banks confirmed that he had, and Bélanger-Martin joked from off camera, “I was the only fish!”