Tyra Banks says she tried alcohol for the first time on her 50th birthday

Many people try alcohol before they are even at the legal drinking age, but Tyra Banks waited until she was 50 years old. While Banks has admitted she tried it when she was 12, she hadn’t touched it since.

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The former America’s Next Top Model host opened up with PEOPLE in a recent interview, where she shared the surprising news. Tyra says she tried alcohol for the first time while celebrating in Australia, where she has been living with boyfriend Louis Bélanger-Martin and her son York Banks Asla, 8, whom she shares with ex Erik Asla.

But it doesn’t seem like it will be a habit for her. She told the outlet, “It wasn’t worth it.” “I was like, ‘This is nasty!’” the model continued.

The SMiZE & DREAM business owner turned 50 on December 4, 2023, and it was a milestone she was excited about. “I felt it was a rite of passage to be my true self,” she said. “I do Zoom meetings with no makeup and throw my wig on… 50 feels good.”

Aging can be a difficult experience, especially as a woman in Hollywood, but Banks is ready to help break any misconceptions about what it means to be a 50-year-old woman. “When I was younger, in elementary school, I thought 50 was like a great granny,” she explained.

“I thought I would have little glasses and just have a quilt on my lap and watch soap operas all day. I was wrong. What my life is like now is totally different than what I thought. I’m poppin.’ I am not insecure about myself,” the famous host continued.