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Cheezburger
  • 1/28/2025
After years of personal struggles, is Amanda Bynes ready to step back into the spotlight?

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Transcript
00:00After years of personal struggles, is Amanda Bynes ready to step back into the spotlight?
00:05Child actor Amanda Bynes once dominated TV and movie screens as one of the most talented
00:09young performers of her generation.
00:11Today Amanda is almost unrecognizable after decades of mental health problems and substance
00:16abuse issues.
00:18Despite retiring from acting in 2010, fans and critics alike continue to wonder if she'll
00:22ever make a comeback.
00:32Bynes saw enormous success as a child TV star who transitioned to young adult movie roles
00:37in the 90s and 2000s.
00:38But in 2013, after a series of disturbing public debacles, she was placed under conservatorship
00:44by her parents.
00:45Like pop star Britney Spears, Amanda's parents took temporary custody of the actor's personal
00:50and financial responsibilities, while Amanda was deemed incapacitated.
00:54So how did Amanda go from this to this?
00:57Fans have speculated that Bynes' downfall could be traced back to her time at Nickelodeon.
01:01Amanda was 13 when she rose to fame as a cast member on the hit children's variety show
01:06All That before starring in her own series, The Amanda Show.
01:09Bynes' breakout as a child star was referenced in an episode of the docuseries Quiet on Set,
01:15the dark side of kids TV.
01:16The controversial doc looks at the working condition of Nickelodeon.
01:20Bynes stars in the influence of producer Dan Schneider, who has since faced allegations
01:24of inappropriate behavior.
01:25Though Amanda never accused Schneider of any wrongdoing, people who worked closely with
01:29her during her time at Nickelodeon found the actor and producer's close relationship a
01:33bit concerning.
01:43As she entered her teen years, Amanda took on roles to match in films like Big Fat Liar
01:48and What a Girl Wants.
01:50But it was her performances in the gender-bending comedy She's the Man and her villainous role
01:54in Easy A that earned Bynes critical praise.
02:04But behind closed doors, Amanda was privately struggling.
02:07According to a 2018 interview Bynes did with Paper Magazine, she began abusing drugs in
02:12her teenage years, particularly Adderall, a stimulant she was prescribed for her attention
02:16deficit disorder.
02:17"'I remember chewing on a bunch of tablets and literally being scatterbrained and not
02:21being able to focus on my lines or memorize them for that matter,' she recalled.
02:25Her drug usage even made it so she couldn't stand her appearance on screen, which led
02:30to her quitting acting altogether."
02:31Over the next few years, the now-former actor's legal troubles began.
02:35Amanda was arrested for DUIs, charged with throwing a bong out of a New York City building
02:39window and started a fire in a neighbor's driveway that ultimately led to a mental health
02:44evaluation.
02:45Bynes achieved sobriety, got her college degree, and was able to end her conservatorship in
02:502022.
02:51But sadly, her health troubles persisted.
02:53In 2023, Amanda was spotted roaming the streets of Hollywood by fans, who realized the star
02:58was in distress.
03:10Bynes was able to call the police on herself and was placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold.
03:15According to officials, she had been wandering the streets for days, many miles from her
03:19home.
03:20Recently, Bynes seems to be in a better state of mind.
03:22She occasionally shares updates on social media, and she recently made a rare public
03:25appearance at an art show in Los Angeles, where she debuted her own original work.
03:39Fans were thrilled to meet and take photos with Bynes, who appeared equally as excited
03:43for the outpouring of love she received at the show.
03:46Though the child star version of Amanda is likely gone for good, her current era as an
03:50artist in recovery is inspiring.
03:52Hopefully Amanda's worst days are behind her, and her newest chapter is the best one yet.

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