Kimora Lee Simmons is looking back at a warning from her longtime friend Tyra Banks, and she says she sees it very differently now.

In her new Lifetime documentary, ‘Kimora Lee: On Her Own,’ Kimora recalled being a teenager when she became involved with Russell Simmons, who was 18 years older than her.

Kimora stated that during that time, Tyra tried to keep her away from Russell.

She remembered one particular weekend when Tyra kept her at her apartment and didn’t let her go home to check her voicemail, apparently hoping she wouldn’t hear from Russell.

At the time, Kimora didn’t see it as her friend trying to help. She said she thought Tyra was “hating” and trying to get in the way of the relationship.

But looking back years later, Kimora says she understands what Tyra was actually doing. She now believes Tyra was trying to protect her.

More Details Behind Kimora and Russell’s Relationship

Kimora and Russell eventually married in 1998 and welcomed two daughters, Ming and Aoki, before separating in 2006 and finalizing their divorce in 2009.

Kimora’s memory of the timeline has also drawn a response from Russell’s representative, who disputed the claim that she was 16 when they first met, saying they met in February 1993, when Kimora was 17 years old and 9 months.

Russell’s spokesperson also pointed to previous accounts, including a 2004 Observer profile and a 2005 Vanity Fair interview where Kimora reportedly said they did not have sex until she was 18.

Still, Kimora’s story has her looking back on Tyra’s actions with a different perspective decades later.