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Amanda Bynes Biography

Amanda Laura Bynes is a teen comedy star such as "Big Fat Liar", "She's The Man", "What a Girl Wants", "Hairspray", and "Love Wrecked". Starting as a child performer, she was considered one of Hollywood's most promising and brilliant actresses in the early 2000s.

The actress, who critics compared to legendary comediennes Tracey Ullman and Lucille Ball, won multiple Kids' Choice Awards. In 2008, she was included in the "Hot 100" list by Maxim. However, when she turned 20, she hit a personal crisis - struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, she found herself caught up in scandals, legal troubles, and mental health challenges.

Childhood

The future movie star was born April 3, 1986, in Thousand Oaks, the youngest of three children to dentist Rick Bynes and his assistant Lynn Organ. Her mother is Jewish with Ashkenazi heritage, while her father is Catholic with Irish, Polish, and Lithuanian roots.

Her brother Tommy, 12 years older, followed their parents into medicine, while her sister Jillian, three years older than Amanda, studied history and shared a passion for acting. Their father was a huge comedy fan who always encouraged his children's interest in acting.

By age 3, Amanda was already mimicking lines from her older sister's plays, and at 7, she took the stage herself. She made her debut in "Annie" at a youth center in Camarillo, earning rave reviews from the press.

She then moved to amateur theater stages, playing Scout in "To Kill a Mockingbird" and Mary in "The Secret Garden," while regularly performing comedy sketches and appearing in a Nestlé commercial. Critics consistently praised her performances as "sensational" and "impressive."

"Child" Roles

In 1996, Amanda auditioned for and landed a role on the sketch show "All That," which was a massive hit in the US. The secret to the young actress's success during her six-year run was her incredible work ethic and fearless commitment to comedy, never worrying about looking silly or unattractive. The main goal was to make the audience laugh.

Amanda Bynes in The First Ask Ashley Ever - All That

From 1999 to 2003, she also hosted her own show, "The Amanda Show," which became one of Nickelodeon's highest-rated programs. The content resembled "All That," featuring humorous sketches and many parodies of popular TV shows. For four years running, viewers voted Bynes the best young television actress at the Kids' Choice Awards.

At 15, she made her big-screen debut. She brilliantly played Kaylee, best friend to Jason (Frankie Muniz) in the comedy "Big Fat Liar," earning another award for "Favorite Movie Actress."

In 2002, she was offered a role in the series "What I Like About You." She successfully played one of the central roles, 16-year-old Holly, for four seasons. In the show, she had to move in with her older sister Valerie (Jennie Garth) after their father relocated to Japan. Both sisters had to make major adjustments to adapt to their new living situation.

The following year, she won another Kids' Choice Award and gained huge popularity in Europe with her brilliant performance as Daphne in the romantic comedy "What a Girl Wants." Her character, a charming and direct young American, dreamed of meeting her father, English lord Henry Dashwood (Colin Firth). To make this happen, she travels to London, where she brings a breath of fresh air to the stuffy world of English high society. In the end, she brings her parents together - they finally get married - and finds love with musician Ian (Oliver James).

What a Girl Wants - Daphne's Transformation Scene

In 2004, she completed high school through a special program in her hometown and began filming the romantic comedy "Love Wrecked" in the stunning protected areas of the Dominican Republic. She played 18-year-old Jenny, who's trying to win over the boy of her dreams.

Career Peak

In 2005, fans got to see their favorite actress in the teen comedy "She's the Man", where she starred opposite Channing Tatum in the lead role. Her character Viola, captain of the girls' soccer team, wasn't allowed to compete. So she disguises herself as her twin brother Sebastian to join the boys' team, landing herself in one hilarious situation after another.

She's the Man: Womanizer

In 2007, the young actress showcased her comedic chops playing Penny, best friend to lead character Tracy (Nikki Blonsky), in the musical "Hairspray", which became a massive hit, grossing over $200 million (on a $75 million budget) and earning multiple awards and nominations. Her co-stars included such Hollywood stars as Michelle Pfeiffer, John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Zac Efron.

Around the same time, she landed the lead role in "Sydney White", a college comedy that puts a fresh spin on the Snow White story. Amanda also branched out into fashion, launching her own clothing line called Dear in partnership with retailer Steve & Barry's.

Amanda has always been interested in fashion design

In 2008, she joined the TV movie "Living Proof" as Dr. Slamon's assistant, working alongside him in the search for a breast cancer cure. The following year, she played Sarah-Beth in "Canned".

Amanda Bynes in the movie 'Living Proof'

In 2010, her final film "Easy A" hit theaters, where she played uptight religious crusader Marianne opposite Emma Stone, Patricia Clarkson, Penn Badgley, and Stanley Tucci. The same year, the actress posed for the cover of Maxim magazine and took 46th place in its "Hot Hundred".

Amanda Bynes in Easy A

Drug Addiction and Career Downfall

In the early 2010s, a rising film star who'd been hailed as one of the most talented young comedic actresses began struggling with serious mental health issues.

In 2012, Amanda Bynes was arrested for drunk driving

In April 2012, the star was arrested for drunk driving. When police tried to pull her over, Amanda sped off and crashed into the car in front of her. Following the court ruling, Bynes tweeted President Barack Obama: "Hey, Barack. I don't drink. Please fire the cop who arrested me. I also don't hit and run. The end."

But in August, another similar incident occurred: Amanda had been drinking and crashed into yet another car. After both incidents, she was facing up to a year behind bars. Still, the actress maintained her innocence. A month later, she was pulled over for driving with an expired license. Lindsay Lohan, Amanda's longtime rival, who had her own history of drunk driving, was furious: "Why did they throw me in jail while Bynes is still walking free? She broke the law too!"

That same month, Amanda publicly insisted that "everything was fine." She relocated to New York, launched her own clothing line, and denied having any drinking problem. But the media kept reporting eyewitness accounts of the actress's bizarre behavior.

In one incident, she stripped down to her underwear during a dance class, pulled out lipstick and mascara from her bag, spent 10 minutes applying makeup to her lips and eyelashes, then bolted from the room. The next day, her agent, publicist, and lawyer all dropped her. "She'd been a dream client for years, but lately it's become impossible to work with her," they commented. In November 2012, Bynes sued a publication that alleged she had visited a beauty salon completely naked.

Sources reported seeing Amanda talking to someone who wasn't there, panicking when the front door alarm sounded because she believed she was being watched and that listening devices were hidden inside it. She lashed out at fellow celebrities on social media, targeting Rihanna, Courtney Love, and Cher, calling them talentless and ugly.

In New York, Amanda Bynes developed a drug addiction

In early 2013, Amanda pierced her cheeks, dyed her hair pink, and apparently began drinking heavily and using drugs. That's what fans figured when they saw her bizarre tweets claiming she'd invented the abbreviations ILU and LOL. "I want Drake to murder my vagina," she followed up. Several publications suggested she was having a mental health crisis, prompting Amanda to threaten lawsuits against anyone who dared discuss her condition.

Amanda Bynes' Suspicious Behavior

In May 2013, paparazzi crashed a party at Amanda's house and photographed a shocking scene: drug paraphernalia scattered across the floor and the actress sleeping on a filthy mattress without sheets. The next day, Amanda was charged with drug use. Amanda fired back, accusing police of harassment, then sent a shocking tweet to Rihanna: "Chris Brown beat you because you're ugly," which she later deleted. That same day, Amanda declared she'd sue her own family "for money laundering and ruthless exploitation of my labor."

Amanda Bynes Arrested

Her erratic behavior ultimately led to probation for drunk driving and marijuana possession, plus mandatory psychiatric treatment after she tried to set fire to a gas canister near her parents' house. Following treatment, she apologized to everyone she'd hurt and revealed she'd been smoking marijuana since age 16.

In 2013, Amanda Bynes was convicted of drunkenness and drug use

Further Life

In 2015, the early 2000s teen comedy star left the clinic noticeably heavier and looking very different, then resumed her studies at FIDM. In 2017, she appeared on Good Morning America, discussing student life, her plans to pursue a bachelor's degree, and her hopes of returning to movies and landing a spot on an entertainment show.

After treatment, Amanda Bynes gained weight

A year later, a slimmed-down Bynes graced Paper's cover, opening up about her struggles with depression and drug addiction. She expressed regret for her past behavior while under the influence. The 32-year-old also assured readers that her darkest days were behind her - she'd been clean for four years and was living a sober life.

The slimmed-down Amanda Bynes in Paper magazine

Amanda Bynes' Personal Life

The Hollywood star has never tied the knot, but she's had her fair share of romances. In 1999, she dated fellow young talent Drake Bell, who appeared in "The Amanda Show".

From 2001 to 2002, her boyfriend was comedian and singer Taran Killam, who also participated in her TV show. In 2002, the young star fell for her "Big Fat Liar" co-star, actor and race car driver Frankie Muniz.

A year later, the 17-year-old actress found new love with 24-year-old Nick Zano. He played her boyfriend in the series "What I Like About You" until the project ended in 2006.

Then, after co-starring in "She's the Man", she connected with actor David Cross, who was 22 years older and played Principal Gold.

At the same time, she was heavily rumored to be dating Channing Tatum, who played football player Duke in the comedy – the guy her character Viola falls for.

In 2008, Amanda had a brief fling with actor and director Seth MacFarlane, after voicing a character on his animated hit "Family Guy". That same year, she had a romance with baseball player Doug Reinhardt, Paris Hilton's ex.

In 2010, Bynes made headlines dating hip-hop artist Kid Cudi, who reportedly ended things because she shared too much about their relationship publicly.

Four years later, the actress was spotted clubbing with heartthrob Liam Hemsworth, who had recently split from Miley Cyrus.

That fall, the 28-year-old star announced to reporters she was engaged to 19-year-old Caleb, a salesman, flashing the ring he'd given her. Since then, the actress has kept her love life private while focusing on her recovery.

Amanda Bynes Now

In January 2019, after a relapse, the actress returned to rehab where she received professional help for addiction and mental health issues.

That June, she posted a new photo on Twitter, sharing news about graduating from FIDM college and pursuing a career in fashion.

In February 2020, reports surfaced that the actress was attending Alcoholics Anonymous. There she met Paul Michael and got engaged just three months later. But the wedding was called off just three weeks later. Around the same time, pregnancy rumors swirled, but Amanda's agent quickly shut them down.

Amanda Bynes before and after blepharoplasty

In 2022, Amanda successfully ended her parents' conservatorship. In March 2023, Amanda was found wandering the streets of Los Angeles naked. She was taken into custody and hospitalized, where doctors diagnosed her with acute psychosis.