Tyra Banks: 'I Was Snubbed Because I'm Black And Curvy' 5/30/08

Tyra Banks faced a battle to become a runway success, because of her skin color and size.

The supermodel-turned-talk show host claims more doors were closed for her than other wannabes, because she didn't fit in with the modeling industry's usual perception of beauty.

She even accuses a number of designers of blacklisting her, telling the New York Times magazine, "My biggest obstacle was that I was black and curvy," adding that her agency had a list of "designers who will not book Tyra because of hips and breasts."

The 34-year-old claims modeling bosses tried to convince her mother to put her on a diet - but she refused: "My mother told me the whole thing as we were walking down the street in Milan.

"She said, 'They say you're too curvy. Let's go order pizza.' We walked into a pizzeria, and we discussed a career change."