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Do you still remember Amanda Bynes? You know, that girl who was the face of Nickelodeon. She’s been under the radar for quite some time now. The last we’ve heard of her was in 2013 when she had a breakdown and was even arrested on drug charges. Many thought that’d be the last straw of her career, and that she’s just another former teen star who’s gone down a rocky path.
Fast forward to today and the OG teen queen (now 32 years old—time flew by fast) is back via a Paper Magazine cover story and she’s ready to make a name for herself again. Amanda got her Britney Spears-worthy comeback, everyone!
As someone who’s watched Amanda’s shows and some of her films, I’m obviously ecstatic. So to celebrate this milestone, here’s a quick lookback at her rise and fall, and rise again through the years.
The ’90s: Nickelodeon gal
Amanda’s career first skyrocketed when she was a pre-teen. She first starred in Nickelodeon’s comedy show All That from seasons 3 to 6. She was also one of the stars who got slimed a lot on Figure It Out.
In 1999, she got her own show titled The Amanda Show where she played several characters and starred alongside Drake Bell and Josh Peck. My personal favorite is Amanda as Penelope Taynt. Here’s a reminder of just how funny she was as her:
Early ’00s: All the teen flicks
There’s something about this era and the prominence of teen flicks. Amanda’s film debut was in Big Fat Liar with Frankie Muniz. You could still see her kid’s show brand of comedy here. She then did She’s the Man alongside Channing Tatum. Not gonna lie, I’ve watched this film way too many times when I was younger. I’d probably still find it funny if I saw it again today.
Just like other young stars, Amanda did music for a little bit too through Hairspray, which is considered her most successful film of all time. The movie’s OST even got a Grammy nomination.
Sydney White and Easy A were two of the last films she worked on before going on an acting hiatus. Both of them were set in universities and they’re entertaining to watch as well, especially if you saw it as a college student.
2013: The breakdown
Amanda had a rough couple of years when news of her drug use became public. In her Paper interview, she opened up about using Adderall for weight loss and that she experimented with various substances. This later led to her being detained on drug charges in 2013.
2018: So, what’s next?
You’ll be glad to know that Amanda is four years sober and that she’s took the opportunity to study Merchandise Product Development at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in LA. She’s getting her Associate’s of Art degree this month. She also expressed wanting to design her own line in the future. But first: “I want to get back into acting,” she told Paper.
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You bet I’ll be one of the first people to watch that movie, along with others who grew up with Nickelodeon.
Photo courtesy of Paper Magazine‘s Instagram account
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