Kimora Lee is revealing that Tyra Banks once went to surprising lengths to stop her teenage friend from pursuing a relationship with Russell Simmons.
In the upcoming Lifetime documentary Kimora Lee: On Her Own, Kimora recalls being 16 when Simmons, who was 18 years older, began pursuing her. At the time, she was building her modeling career in New York after working with Chanel in Paris.
According to Kimora, Banks was worried enough to keep her at her apartment for an entire weekend, preventing her from going home and checking messages from Simmons.
“I felt a little bit like she was hating,” she told PEOPLE.
Years later, Kimora views her former friend’s actions differently. She now believes Banks was trying to protect her as she navigated the attention of an older, established music executive.
Kimora ultimately continued seeing Simmons and the pair eventually tied the knot in 1998, with Banks serving as a bridesmaid, and welcomed daughters Ming and Aoki. They separated in 2006 before finalizing their divorce in 2009.
Kimora has since alleged that she experienced verbal and emotional abuse during the relationship.
Despite their once-close bond, Kimora has previously said she and Banks have not spoken in years.
