The Short Answer: No, Tyra Banks Is Not Married
Tyra Banks is not married, and she has never been married.
That is the fact behind most of the confusion around her love life. Banks has had long, serious relationships, and she is a mother, but none of those relationships became a marriage. There is also no verified announcement of an engagement or a wedding for Banks.
Her current long-term partner is Canadian businessman Louis Bélanger-Martin. They have been publicly linked since 2019, and they keep their relationship mostly private.
Tyra Banks at a Glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Tyra Banks married? | No |
| Has she ever been married? | No |
| Current partner | Louis Bélanger-Martin, reported since 2019 |
| Former long-term partner | Erik Asla, 2013 to 2017 |
| Children | One son, York Banks Asla, born in January 2016 |
| Best known for | Modelling, creating and hosting America’s Next Top Model, and her SMiZE & Dream ice cream business |
Who Is Louis Bélanger-Martin?
Louis Bélanger-Martin is a Canadian businessman. He is not an actor or a television personality, which is one reason he stays out of the spotlight.
He has worked in business and investment, and he has been involved with Banks’ ice cream company, SMiZE & Dream. TV Insider reports that he has served as chief financial officer of the company, which Banks launched in 2021.
Banks and Bélanger-Martin were first spotted together in 2019, and later sightings confirmed the relationship. They made a more public appearance together at the TIME 100 Gala in June 2022.
Since early 2024, Australia has been their main base. Banks has said she fell in love with Australia while working on her ice cream business there, and the move became a family decision. She moved with Bélanger-Martin and her son, York.
Why Erik Asla Is Often Mistaken for Her Husband
If you search for Tyra Banks’ husband, the name that comes up most often is Erik Asla. He was not her husband.
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Credit: people.com
Asla is a Norwegian photographer. Banks began dating him in 2013, after meeting him around Norway’s version of America’s Next Top Model. They were together for about five years.
Together, they had a son, York Banks Asla, born in January 2016 through a gestational surrogate. Banks has spoken openly about her fertility struggles and the in vitro fertilisation attempts that came before surrogacy.
The couple split in October 2017. Reports at the time, including Page Six, described the split as drama-free and said the pair would continue to co-parent York. They also continued to work together on America’s Next Top Model after the split.
Because the relationship lasted five years and produced a child, many readers assumed a marriage had taken place. It had not.
Tyra Banks’ Son, York
York Banks Asla is Banks’ only child. He was born in January 2016, and his father is Erik Asla.
Banks announced his birth at the time, writing that he had her fingers and big eyes and his father Erik’s mouth and chin. Since then, she has kept York largely out of the spotlight, sharing only occasional updates.
Asla also has children from a previous relationship. That does not change Banks’ own family picture: she has one child, York, and she co-parents him with Asla.
Tyra Banks’ Past Relationships
Banks’ dating history has been widely reported, but some older articles mix up on-screen roles with real relationships. Here is what is reliably reported.
John Singleton
Banks dated director and writer John Singleton in the early 1990s. They met in 1993 through mutual friends, and Singleton later directed her in her film debut, Higher Learning (1995).
Banks said at the time that she had only been dating Singleton for four months when she signed on for the part, and that the role came first. Their relationship is reported to have ended in 1996.
Seal
Banks was briefly linked to singer Seal in 1996. They attended the Essence Awards together that April and were photographed holding hands at the World Music Awards the following month.
Seal later said there was no drama between them, and the relationship was short-lived.
Chris Webber
Banks was in a reported relationship with former NBA player Chris Webber in the early 2000s. Reports place the relationship roughly from 2001 to 2004.
There were rumours of an engagement at the time, but no marriage followed. Banks later said the relationship ended after Webber was unfaithful, according to reports of her own comments.
John Utendahl
Banks later dated financier John Utendahl. TV Insider places that relationship from 2008 to 2011. It was a serious relationship, but it did not lead to marriage.
What About Will Smith?
Banks did not date Will Smith for several years in real life, despite what some older articles claim.
She guest-starred on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1993 as Jackie, Smith’s character’s ex-girlfriend from Philadelphia. That was an acting role, not a real relationship.
Rapper Drake also said in 2013 that he and Banks went on a single outing to Disneyland in disguise in 2012. That was a date, not a long-term relationship, and it did not lead to marriage either.
Why the Marriage Rumours Keep Coming Back
Three things keep the rumours going.
First, Banks has been in long, stable relationships that look like marriages from the outside. Second, she is a mother, and some readers assume that means she must be married. Third, she and Bélanger-Martin live and work together, including on her ice cream business, which makes them look like a settled married couple.
None of that changes the record. No wedding has been reported, and no credible source lists Banks as married or previously married.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tyra Banks married to Erik Asla?
No. Erik Asla is the father of her son, York, and her former partner from 2013 to 2017. They were never married.
Does Tyra Banks have a husband now?
No. Her current partner is Louis Bélanger-Martin. They have been together since 2019, based on public sightings, but they are not reported to be married.
How many children does Tyra Banks have?
One. Her son, York Banks Asla, was born in January 2016.
Has Tyra Banks ever been engaged?
No verified engagement announcement for Banks could be confirmed for this update. Reports of past relationships do not include a confirmed engagement that led to a wedding.
Where does Tyra Banks live now?
Since early 2024, her main base has been Australia, where she has been building her SMiZE & Dream ice cream business. She has also spoken about losing her California home in the Los Angeles wildfires in January 2025.
The Bottom Line
Tyra Banks does not have a husband. She has never been married.
Her most important family relationships are with her son, York, whom she co-parents with former partner Erik Asla, and with her current long-term partner, Louis Bélanger-Martin.
