24 Things We Didn’t Know about Amanda Bynes

Amanda Bynes is a famous child actress who debuted as a regular actress in the Nickelodeon series All That. Not long afterward, Bynes remained in the spotlight after landing her own hit TV show, The Amanda Show, when she was just 13 years old.

The noteworthy actress has also starred in iconic movies like She’s The Man, What a Girl Wants, and Hairspray, cementing her name in the film industry. Bynes has also had a big impact on television, starring in What I Like About You alongside Jennie Garth.

Despite a promising career, Bynes hasn’t appeared in a film since 2010, so it’s not surprising that, 14 years later, we’re still learning about the young actress’s career, life, and fall out of the limelight.

She Started Acting at 7 Years Old

By the age of seven, Bynes already had her own agent and was ready to start her acting career. She appeared in her first television commercial for Nestle Buncha Crunch Candies.

The actress also performed in various plays at a young age, including The Sound of Music, The Secret Garden, and Annie, though she’d never return to the stage once her television career kicked off.

Nickelodeon Executives Discovered Her While She Performed Stand-up

Bynes wasn’t afraid to perform in front of large crowds. She regularly performed stand-up routines for the kid’s comedy camp at the Laugh Factory, where she was initially discovered.

When she was 10 years old, Nickelodeon executives scouted her after watching her performance. The young comedian’s father, Rick Bynes, told People in 2002 that Amanda loved the spotlight so much that staff would have to physically carry her off when her time on stage was up.

Her First Major Appearance Was on Nickelodeon’s All That

You may remember seeing Bynes in some of your favorite TV shows growing up. The actress had her first big break on the beloved kid’s TV show All That. She appeared on the popular show from 1996 to 2000 and instantly became a hit with producers and audiences.

All That was her gateway to headlining her project. Shortly after, she landed her live-action sketch comedy, The Amanda Show, which aired on Nickelodeon from October 1999 to September 2002.

Her Sitcom Was an Instant Hit

The Amanda Show was a sketch comedy sitcom based on Bynes herself, where she and her cast mates performed hilarious comedy skits. When the first episode aired in October 1999, it became an instant hit.

Despite only running for three seasons until 2002, The Amanda Show quickly grew to become one of Nickelodeon’s most successful sitcoms and helped kick off her career and that of several of her castmates.

The Amanda Show Helped Launch Drake Bell’s Career

Drake Bell ended up starring in his sitcom, Drake & Josh, with castmate Josh Peck after their appearance on The Amanda Show. Producers worked hard to find two actors to play best friends for an upcoming sitcom idea.

After watching Bell and Peck on The Amanda Show and noticing their potential, the producers decided they had found their dynamic duo. Bell and Peck became a huge success, garnering millions of viewers who fell in love with the show.

Amanda Was Born in California

Bynes was born on April 3, 1986, in Thousand Oaks, Los Angeles, a quaint suburb in California. Thousand Oaks is just 15 miles from the city and 40 miles from Downtown Los Angeles.

It’s a beautiful city with quiet neighborhoods and plenty of open hiking, walking, and biking trails. It received the vote for being one of the county’s greenest cities and is considered one of the best places to grow up in California for its affluence.

She Co-starred in What I Like About You

While Bynes is known for her iconic roles on kids’ comedy TV shows like All That, she eventually branched out to appeal to more mature audiences.

Bynes co-starred in the WB Network series What I Like About You, where she played an upbeat sibling to Garth. Despite appearing in The Drew Carey Show for an episode in 2001, What I Like About You put a different side of Bynes in the spotlight.

She Was a Natural on Set

Bynes’ former castmates have nothing but kind words about their time working with the actress. During his appearance on The Zach Sang Show, Drake Bell revealed he was mesmerized by the child star, calling her an “unbelievable talent” well beyond her years.

Bell gushed about Bynes, saying he learned a strong work ethic from her as she constantly worked long hours and stressful nights. He was impressed by how she rarely broke on set due to stress and was always professional.

Bynes Received Compliments From Many People in the Business

Bynes was a natural on-set with promising talent, and her charisma and acting skills didn’t go unnoticed. Kathie Lee Gifford, actress and American television presenter, worked with Bynes on The Amanda Show.

She described working with the actress as a refreshing experience and found Bynes hilarious and talented. Because of her incredible talent, Gifford compared working with Bynes to working with Lucille Ball in her earlier days.

She Played a Variety of Characters on Her Sitcom Show

Bynes was a dynamic actress who was comfortable playing several unique and hilarious characters on The Amanda Show. Some included Judge Trudy, a courtroom judge who regularly shouted at her staff to bring in the infamous dancing lobsters, and Courtney, who famously wore fake oversized teeth.

Her characters were unique and full of personality, showcasing her impressive acting range.

Her First Feature Film Debut Was Alongside Frankie Muniz

In 2002, Bynes officially made her first feature film debut in Big Fat Liar with Frankie Muniz. Bynes co-starred in the film as Frankie Muniz’s best friend, who worked to help him prove that a Hollywood producer stole his class paper and turned it into a hit movie called Big Fat Liar.

It was her first time on the big screen, and it launched her into Hollywood, where she would receive several roles in the industry. The film was received as a success, grossing over $50 million in worldwide box office sales.

Bynes Wasn’t Happy With Her Performance in Easy A

While attending a screening of the hit movie Easy A, Bynes revealed she had a very different reaction than everyone else when first seeing the film. In an interview with Paper Magazine, the actress revealed she couldn’t stand her appearance in the film, where she played a mean character many found wildly entertaining.

After watching the movie, Bynes found herself overly critical of her appearance and was convinced she needed to stop acting and should never appear on camera again. Bynes hasn’t appeared in any new films or productions since Easy A, released in 2010.

Bynes Fought for Channing Tatum to Star in She’s the Man

In her interview with Paper Magazine, the star shared that she fought for Channing Tatum to star with her in  She’s The Man. Bynes said that Tatum had just shot a Mountain Dew commercial and she knew that he would be a star and that girls would love him.

Producers had doubts, as Tatum was much older than Bynes and the rest of the cast, but she held her ground. He was ultimately cast in the film as her love interest.

She Had to Step Outside of Her Comfort Zone While Filming She’s the Man

In the popular romantic comedy She’s The Man, Amanda had to dress up as a boy as part of her role. In an interview with CosmoGirl! She shared, “I enjoy doing things that are scary or things that some girls might not like because it won’t let them look gorgeous.”

Bynes revealed she had to rely on her sense of humor rather than her looks while playing the role. Later, the actress shared how she criticized her appearance in the movie and fell into depression after seeing herself portrayed as a male.

Bynes Graduated From California’s Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising

In 2019, after five years of studying, Bynes graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in California. Despite facing a few challenges and turbulent times along her journey to graduation, she received her diploma and proudly shared photos of her accomplishments online.

Bynes was kicked out of FIDM in 2014 for disruptive behavior as she allegedly caused intense arguments in class but was allowed to continue her studies in 2017.

Bynes Aspires to Launch Her Clothing Line

Bynes is passionate about the fashion industry and regularly discusses her work plans. The actress announced in a video posted to Instagram 2020 that she aspired to launch her clothing line.

The aspiring designer shared that she was having dinner with a student adviser at FIDM while she was enrolled and was looking forward to starting her clothing line and launching it online soon.

Bynes Announced Her Retirement From Acting on Twitter

The former actress announced in June 2010 that she would be stepping back from acting and retiring in a now-deleted series of tweets. The public was shocked by the announcement, as many believed Bynes was at the pinnacle of her career.

The actress tweeted, “Being an actress isn’t as fun as it may seem. If I don’t love something anymore, I stop doing it. I don’t love acting anymore, so I’ve stopped doing it. I know 24 is a young age to retire, but you heard it here first.”

Bynes Regrets How She Left Her Acting Career

Despite feeling ready to retire at the time, the former actress regrets how she revealed the end of her acting career on Twitter.

During the Paper Magazine interview, Bynes shared that after reflecting on the moment, she realized it was foolish to announce her retirement on Twitter. Bynes wished she had done so more professionally, like releasing her announcement in a press statement.

She Once Dreamed Of Having a Long Career in Acting

Although Bynes left Hollywood and the acting industry at 24 years old, she dreamed of having a long-lasting career in the business growing up.

In an interview with Showbiz Tonight in 2007, the actress shared that her ultimate goal was a long career. Bynes stated that she didn’t want to destroy what she had worked so hard to achieve and wanted a future in the industry. She credited her family for supporting her throughout her career.

The Actress Began Facing Legal Troubles in 2012

After taking a break from acting, Bynes started getting into legal trouble and made headlines for her run-ins with the law. Bynes was arrested in 2012 for the first time for a DUI after hitting a police officer’s car at 3 a.m. in West Hollywood.

This would be the first of a string of arrests and charges, with most involving reckless driving and driving under the influence. Due to several charges, the judge ruled that her driving privileges be revoked in 2012.

She Was Placed Under a Conservatorship in 2013

Bynes famously struggled with her mental health and addiction shortly after announcing her departure from the acting industry. In 2013, her mother, Lynn Bynes, filed for and received a temporary conservatorship over Amanda, who was 27 years old.

In 2014, the conservatorship became permanent after it was reported that she was spending a large amount of her savings on jewelry and posed a risk to herself and others.

Bynes Shared She Wants to Return to Acting One Day

During her interview with Paper Magazine, the actress revealed she planned to get back into acting again, although she didn’t mention any concrete plans. She shared that she wanted to have the same kind of enjoyment and enthusiasm about the prospect of acting when she was young and just starting.

One stipulation she set is to not limit herself to certain productions or roles in the future.

Amanda Ended Her Conservatorship in 2022

After almost nine years, Bynes filed to end her conservatorship in February 2022. Fortunately, the former actress and her parents were able to patch up their bond and maintain a close and supportive relationship throughout the conservatorship.

Bynes’ parents openly shared that they fully supported their daughter in ending the conservatorship and had seen her make significant progress with her mental health.

Bynes Was Meant to Appear in an All That Reunion

Amanda was scheduled to attend an All That reunion alongside several other cast members at 90s Con at the Connecticut Convention Center in March 2023. Unfortunately, she canceled her appearance due to illness. TMZ reported that she was placed on psychiatric hold after exhibiting concerning behavior in public.

This would have been Amanda’s first public appearance since ending her conservatorship.