"I Met a Man 18 Years My Senior at 16 and Got Married" Supermodel Kimora Lee's Late Confession Sparks Buzz [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Model-turned-entrepreneur Kimora Lee recalled how her colleague Tyra Banks tried to dissuade her from dating Russell Simmons when she was 16 years old.

According to PEOPLE on the 19th (local time), former supermodel Kimora Lee, who is about to release the documentary "Kimora Lee: On Her Own," shared an anecdote about how Tyra Banks attempted to stop her from pursuing a relationship with Russell Simmons in the past.

Now 51 years old, Kimora Lee gained attention as a Chanel model in the mid-1990s before entering the New York fashion scene. At the time, Russell Simmons, a music industry mogul and leader of the fashion brand Phat Farm, visited her fashion shows and showed strong interest in Lee.

In the documentary, Lee recalled, "Whenever I walked the runway, he would always sit in the very front row at the end of the catwalk. He would stand up from his seat, clap loudly, and cheer."

She continued, "At first, I thought, 'Who is that strange man sitting at the end of the runway?' But then he started coming backstage as well." She added, "When I first met him, I was 16 years old, and he was 18 years older than me."

As Simmons continued his courtship by sending Lee large bouquets of flowers, Tyra Banks, a fellow model and friend at the time, reportedly tried to discourage their relationship.

Lee recalled, "I remember Tyra keeping me locked in her apartment all weekend. She was trying to prevent me from returning home and checking my voice messages."

At the time, Lee interpreted Banks' actions as jealousy. In an interview with PEOPLE, she said, "Back then, I thought Tyra was a bit jealous because she was getting in my way and being annoying. But looking back now, I realize she was trying to protect me."

She further stated, "I think he probably approached Tyra in the same way. He may have done the same with many other women. At the time, I thought, 'Even if he did the same with Tyra, it would be different with me.'"

Kimora Lee eventually married Russell Simmons in 1998. At the wedding, Tyra Banks served as a bridesmaid. However, Lee has recently revealed that she and Banks have not been in contact for several years.

Lee and Simmons' relationship later deteriorated, with Lee alleging that she suffered verbal abuse from Simmons during much of their time together. The couple separated in 2006 and finalized their divorce in 2009.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.