Whatever Happened to Amanda Bynes?

Kevthewriter wonders whatever happened to Amanda Bynes.

I’ve got a secret: I’m a millennial. From what I heard, most of the bloggers on here are middle-aged and I’m probably the youngest writer here. As a result, the name Amanda Bynes might not mean much to you besides, I dunno, being just another troubled child star.
But I grew up with her Nickelodeon stuff and saw the lows and highs of her career. Therefore, seeing her life go to hell had a bit more of an impact on me than it probably did for many people on this site. But where did it all go wrong? What made her go from cute kid to another troubled child star?
Whatever happened to Amanda Bynes?
Amanda Bynes was a talented girl. As a pre-teen and teen, she had some good comic timing.
She started off in TV shows aimed at the Nickelodeon demographic, including All That (also known as the show that introduced the world to Kenan Thompson, a.k.a. “The Man who will never leave SNL”) and, later, her own show, The Amanda Show.


When The Amanda Show was cancelled in 2002, she starred in the sitcom, What I Like About You, which was also aimed at the pre-teen demographic.

In this show, she moved away from the goofy, over the top characters she played on All That and The Amanda Show and played more of an average teenage girl who was a little quirky and klutzy. She’d end up playing this character in her movies. Over and over again.
And most of the movies she starred in (Big Fat Liar, What a Girl Wants, Lovewrecked, She’s the Man, and Sydney White) got mixed to negative reviews and were only modestly successful at the box office (except for Sydney White, which bombed but the reviews were more or less the same).
Considering her movies were considered “meh” by both audiences over the age of 13 and critics, as a movie star, she didn’t really stick out from the Hilary Duffs of the world and her movie star career was cut short.
Problem is, she grew up playing larger than life crazy characters yet she was always cast as the average, relatable teen when she was seemingly more suited to playing crazy characters than she was normal characters. Need proof? In one of the movies she made that was successful and did make an impression was Easy A, where she basically played a crazy Christian stereotype (granted, she wasn’t really the reason most people were seeing the movie but still…).

It seems like movie executives were trying to make her the next Hilary Duff or the next Lindsay Lohan when she wasn’t really like that. It didn’t really help that she was given roles that were rather forgettable and generic.
But what else hurt her career is that she was stuck in being in stuff made for the preteen demographic for over 10 years. From 1996-2007, she was basically in movies and TV shows aimed at the Nickelodeon demographic, even when she left Nickelodeon, as she was doing movies set at the preteen demographic from 2003-2007 and had done shows aimed at a similar demographic from 1996-2006.
Unlike Lindsay Lohan, who might still have a career if it wasn’t for her personal life, she didn’t really make a movie that showed audiences she could act and take her seriously as an actress. Instead, she was stuck in one genre from when she was a kid to when she was in her 20’s.
Now was this the only reason for her meltdown a few years ago? Of course not. There were probably multiple factors that led to her infamous meltdown. But one of them might have been that she felt like her parents and PR people were controlling her life.
One thing that showed this is that she actually wanted to branch out and do other things besides tween comedies. In 2008, she said, “I’d love to do something that would shock people, something that’s against type”. An insider who knew her also said, “Everybody had Amanda as a goody-goody. She couldn’t break out of that genre. Her frustration was, ‘I could have played this role; I could have played that role. I’m not getting the Lindsay Lohan roles.”
This frustration might have, if not led her to having said public meltdown, caused her to quit acting in the first place. After all, she did say she didn’t find it fun anymore and she might not have found it fun because she wasn’t getting the roles she wanted. As for what led her to then have that huge meltdown she had in 2013, my best guess is, seeing as she had people controlling what jobs she could and could not take, she probably still had people controlling her even after she quit acting and she couldn’t take it anymore, which led her to flip out and get out of control.
Since 2014, thankfully she seems to have gotten the help she needed and even announced a few months ago she was interested in getting back to acting. If she does act again, I hope she does do that shocking role she’s always wanted to do, if she’s still interested in doing it.

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Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

Celebrities who changed their reputations overnight http://www.nickiswift.com/7102/celebrities-changed-reputations-overnight/ Amanda Bynes For years, Amanda Bynes was known for being that young, quirky, and vaguely awkward teenage star from Nickelodeon’s All That (1994-2005) and The Amanda Show (1999-2002). Then, starting in 2013, the former child star shocked her fans when she made headlines for her increasingly erratic behavior both in public and in private. During the peak of the drama, she became known for posting bizarre, often offensive Tweets online, some of which targeted high-profile figures, including Drake, Rihanna, and the president of the United States. Following a series of arrests and involuntary hospitalizations, Bynes was… Read more »

Leo
Leo
6 years ago

I grew up watching Amanda Bynes during her Nickelodeon days and saw quite a bit of her films like “Big Fat Liar”, “She’s the Man” and “Hairspray”. Like most people I was quite shocked when she started getting into huge amounts of trouble in 2012 ranging from DUIs, her Twitter rants, throwing a bong out of a window and being held in psychiatric care, worrying that she may not get her life back together. But judging from a recent interview Bynes had just done a few months ago, it seems that she’s keeping her cool and hope she’s getting the… Read more »

admin
Admin
admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Leo

I had a nervous breakdown (1996), and I think that’s what happened with her. It changes you, big time, but I hope she ends up alright.

Kyle
Kyle
6 years ago
Reply to  admin

It wasn’t just a nervous breakdown. She was diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Most people who get it come down with the disorder in their early to mid-20s just like her. She wasn’t taking her meds when most of her worst behavior happened.

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)
Reply to  Leo

Ranking Every Amanda Bynes Performance in Movies and TV http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/07/ranking-every-amanda-bynes-performance/?utm_campaign=complexmag+socialflow+07+2013&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social Amanda Bynes used to be a name that inspired delight in all the fans who heard it. She was best known as an immense comedic talent, with a handle on physical comedy and an impeccable sense of timing. If there was every any kid that could hold her own among the giants on Saturday Night Live, it would’ve been Bynes. She was that good. She was that funny. Nowadays, however, Bynes reputation has tanked. Plagued by alleged mental illness, the 27-year-old actress has become a tabloid staple. Sad to say,… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)
Reply to  Leo

18 TV Shows You Loved As A Kid (That TOTALLY Sucked) http://screenrant.com/tv-shows-kids-loved-really-bad-sucked/ THE AMANDA SHOW After Nickelodeon had success with their kids’ version of Saturday Night Live, All That, it was only natural for them to try out a spinoff starring one of All That‘s standouts, Amanda Bynes. But while All That was a critical success, running for ten seasons on Nick with a wide-ranging and diverse cast, The Amanda Show failed to live up to its predecessor in every measure. The series added an unnecessary show-within-a-show component that only confused the format of the variety series into something sitcom-esque.… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

Amanda Bynes Was ‘Cold’ and ‘Self-Conscious’ Says Former Co-Star Chelsea Brummet http://www.celebuzz.com/2014-10-16/amanda-bynes-was-cold-and-self-conscious-says-former-co-star-chelsea-brummet/?utm_source=sc-tw&utm_medium=ref&utm_campaign=abynes Amanda Bynes’ former All That co-star, Chelsea Brummet, is revealing what it was like to work with her many years ago. Brummet and Bynes worked on All That together from 2000 to 2002, when Amanda started What I Like About You. Brummet even appeared on What I Like About You with Bynes during the show’s first season. Speaking with Radar Online, Brummet recalls the troubled star as being “cold” and “always self-conscious.” Brummet also talks about Bynes’ relationship with her father, Rick Bynes. After showing some very bizarre… Read more »

Kim Martin
6 years ago

As WWE Hall of Famer “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels famously said in 2005: STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PAST AND LOOK TO THE FUTURE. I mean, we should forget both LiLo and Amanda’s dark pasts and move on.
P.S. LiLo was f**ked up by her parents.

admin
Admin
admin
6 years ago
Reply to  kevthewriter

That’s a correct thought, I believe, but still, I feel that it stinks to be in pain. To me, it seems like Amanda Bynes stopped being Amanda Bynes, and I have a problem with that.

Kyle
Kyle
6 years ago
Reply to  Kim Martin

I found his article to be surprisingly light on her issues. You can’t do an retrospective article on a celebrity’s career and look into why they aren’t that active in the industry anymore without touching on their personal problems if it is a primary reason for their lack of current roles.https://lebeauleblog.com//2017/09/23/whatever-happened-to-amanda-bynes/comment-page-1/#respond

Kyle
Kyle
6 years ago
Reply to  Kyle

I have no idea how that link ended up at the end of my comment. I sure wish LeBeau would allow us to delete or edit comments!

admin
Admin
admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Kyle

Well, Lebeau is giving it his best shot here; there is only so much one can control at times, I suppose. I blame Terrence actually 🙂

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)
Reply to  Kyle

I’m guessing that why the full extent of Amanda Bynes’ personal issues was so lightly touched upon here is because A) This isn’t a full blown “What the Hell Happened to…” (when compared to other actresses who have publicly struggled with their mental health like Anne Heche and Sean Young). B) We kind of “been there and then that” when tying in Amanda’s mental health problems for why her acting career bottomed out. It’s kind of a too obvious or base of a premise (like simply suggesting that Jennifer Grey’s career “ended” when she got a nose job).

admin
Admin
admin
6 years ago

I never saw Sean Young as “crazy”; more like someone who walked a thin line, and occasionally crossed it. Anne Heche, yeah, I think she went full out. I’m very sorry for Amanda Bynes though. Poor lady.

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

To summarize what apparently happened to Amanda Bynes outside of her personal problems, it seems apparent that after she left Nickelodeon, she never really properly or fully utilized her talents as a comedienne. Amanda in theory, should’ve aimed to be more of a quirky character actress than a generic, average teenage girl in the Lindsay Lohan/Hilary Duff model. Amanda unlike Lindsay Lohan, never had a “Mean Girls” (a kind of transcendent, “make or break” role that could serve as a bridge to more adult-oriented material). I can’t help but think what was said regarding Rachael Leigh Cook: https://lebeauleblog.com//2017/07/12/what-the-hell-happened-to-rachel-leigh-cook/ Just as… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)
Reply to  Kim Martin

The difference between Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Bynes is that I don’t think that Amanda has alienated as much many people in the industry as Lindsay. Amanda has her old co-workers rooting for her too. The problem with Lindsay Lohan is, even if she’s sober, she has a reputation that she’s hard to work with.

Yo
Yo
6 years ago

She has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

admin
Admin
admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Yo

Really? Then she could use some meds, and hopefully the right meds.

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)
Reply to  admin

Former Child Star Amanda Bynes: WTF Happened to Her? She’s 31 but Looks 50.. https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/former-child-star-amanda-bynes-wtf-happened-to-her-shes-31-but-looks-50.1270749/ Edit Note: Didn’t realize that medication could cause significant weight gain like that. Now it makes more sense. Amanda Bynes is seen for first time in three months in LA | Daily Mail Online I wouldn’t want to be one of those kids Hollywood or the music industry discovers at a young age. I’d rather keep my success regional. Hollywood has a penchant for effin up it’s young talent. Something demonic about it. Just another sad case. She needs to move to North Carolina or… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

7 Actors Who Lost Their Chance To Become A-Listers (And 8 Who Rose To Stardom) https://screenrant.com/a-list-actors-lost-chance-rose-to-stardom-success/ LOST: AMANDA BYNES Believe it or not, there was a time when Amanda Bynes was on the rise to becoming an A-lister. Bynes started her career on Nickelodeon’s All That and eventually became popular enough to receive her own show (aptly named The Amanda Show). Bynes then seamlessly transitioned into film with starring roles in What a Girl Wants, She’s the Man, and Sydney White. Bynes seemed primed to break out and become one of Hollywood’s hottest starlets… before a series of personal issues… Read more »

admin
Admin
admin
6 years ago

I feel bad for Amanda Bynes; I’ve had some mental health issues myself (like a nervous breakdown in 1996), studied psychology (byproduct of the nervous breakdown), and have met my fair share of people who struggle with themselves on a daily basis, so I understand her plight, and hope she manages the best she can. I think once you’re self-aware about where your mind can go, you have a better handle on things.

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

AMANDA BYNES PLANS TO RETURN TO ACTING IN 2018, AND THE NEW YEAR IS LOOKING GREAT ALREADY
https://www.maxim.com/women/amanda-bynes-acting-comeback-2017-12

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

Amanda Bynes recently got an ugly heart tattooed on her face. Given that she has been suffering from mental illness for at least the last decade or so, is there any reason to suspect that the face tattoo is a form of protest/realization? It’s perhaps, Amanda’s way of saying that her acting career is finished and that she can no longer expect to receive many (if any) roles. By marking her face, she’s demonstrated that her most valuable “asset” when it came to acting (her appearance) no longer matters to her. She had the tattoo placed there as an indication… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

I was recently reading comments about Amanda Bynes elsewhere and one interesting observation that I came across is that with lot people with a dire mental health diagnosis, there’s a common theme that they don’t have a grounded grasp on reality. So pursing an unrealistic career with low success rate like in the arts/show business may be a natural inclination. It’s also that tormented artist trope that never fades away With acting, being able to emote and having an expressive face is highly important for effective translation of stories across the big screen and onstage. Being over-exaggerating and able to… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

Dan Schneider’s CREEPY Dark Past EXPOSED!
The video discusses Amanda Bynes at the 15:16 mark.

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