Even among the sea of child stars, Amanda Bynes is a standout. In the late ’90s and early 2000s, Amanda Bynes dominated Nickelodeon with her kid-friendly jokes and garnered millions of admirers. Using her charm and talent, Amanda entered adulthood much easier than many of her peers. However, by the 2010s, trouble started brewing in her personal life. Numerous challenges were plaguing Bynes, dramatically altering the course of her once-promising career.
To understand what exactly went wrong, we must take a closer look at Amanda Bynes’ major life changes over the years.
1. Amanda Bynes’s early breakthrough
Amanda’s acting career started with a few Taco Bell and Mattel commercials when she was 7. But her big break came in 1996 when she joined Nickelodeon’s “All That,” a sketch show often compared to Saturday Night Live for kids.
2. The Amanda Show
Imagine being so popular that Nickelodeon gave you your own comedy sketch show. That’s pretty much what happened to Amanda Bynes in 1999, when Nickelodeon created The Amanda Show just for her. The show ran for three seasons, becoming known for a handful of memorable sketches, including “Judge Trudy” with the famous line, “Bring in the dancing lobsters!” It also marked the start of her professional relationship with Drake Bell.
In 2002, Amanda landed a big role in What I Like About You—another hit show. This was her official transition from child star to teen actress. The show ran for four seasons and remains one of Bynes’ favorite projects.
3. Amanda Bynes—the movie star!
Amanda’s film career took off after What I Like About You ended. In 2006, she starred in She’s the Man alongside Channing Tatum. While audiences loved that cheesy movie, Bynes later revealed that looking at herself dressed as a boy caused her a deep depression for months. In 2007, Bynes joined John Travolta, Queen Latifah, and Zac Efron in Hairspray, which was a huge deal for the young actress. In 2010, Bynes appeared in Easy A with Emma Stone, marking her last acting project before stepping away from acting.
