Amanda Laura Bynes is a retired American actress, comedian and fashion designer. After appearing in commercials and in plays, she rose to prominence as a child star in the late 1990s and early 2000s on the Nickelodeon series “All That” and “The Amanda Show.” Take a look below for 27 more fun and interesting facts about Amanda Bynes.
1. From 2002 to 2006, she starred as Holly Tyler in the sitcom “What I Like About You” on The WB.
2. She has also starred in several films, including “What a Girl Wants,” “She’s the Man,” “Hairspray,” “Sydney White,” and “Easy A.”
3. Bynes announced an indefinite hiatus from acting in 2010 as she struggled with personal problems.
4. Bynes was born in Thousand Oaks, California, on April 3, 1986, the youngest of three children born to Lynn, a dental assistant and office manager, and Rick Bynes, a dentist.
5. Her father is Catholic and is of Irish, Lithuanian, and Polish descent.
6. Her mother is Jewish, and was born to a Canadian couple whose families were from Poland, Russia and Romania.
7. Bynes began professionally acting at the age of 7, appearing in a television advertisement for Buncha Crunch candies.
8. During her childhood, she also appeared on stage in versions of “Annie,” “The Secret Garden,” “The Music Man,” and “The Sound of Music.”
9. Bynes attended a comedy camp at the Los Angeles Laugh Factory and was spotted by a Nickelodeon producer before being cast by the network.
10. Bynes rose to prominence with her various roles in Nickelodeon’s “All That” for seasons three through six.
11. She later became a regular member of “Figure It Out.”
12. At the age of 13, she began starring in her own sketch comedy show, “The Amanda Show.”
13. In 2002, Bynes began to establish her fan base with her debut film role in “Big Fat Liar” opposite Frankie Muniz, and co-starring role in the WB sitcom “What I Like About You” with Jennie Garth, which gained positive reviews.
14. She made her voice-over debut in “Charlotte’s Web 2: Wilbur’s Great Adventure,” and later in the animated comedy “Robots.”
15. She appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair’s July 2003 edition.
16. Bynes was named one of Teen People’s “25 Hottest Stars Under 25” in 2006.
17. In 2005, she starred in the romantic comedy “Love Wrecked.”
18. In August 2007, Bynes teamed up with Steve & Barry’s to create her own fashion line called Dear, consisting of apparel and accessories.
19. The line was cut short when Steve & Barry’s filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008 and went out of business in January 2009.
20. In 2012, she moved from Los Angeles to New York in order to facilitate her fashion career. In December 2013, Bynes enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Irvine for 2014.
21. In 2018, she received her Associate’s of Art degree in Merchandise Product Development and announced her intentions to start a bachelor’s degree program.
22. In 2007, Bynes described herself as Jewish, and also stated: “As far as religion, I was raised both. I learned about both Judaism and Catholicism. My parents said it was up to me decide when I grew up. I’m sort of a spiritual person anyway. I haven’t decided yet on a religion. I don’t know yet exactly what I believe.”
23. Since childhood, Bynes has been interested in illustration and fashion design.
24. In 2008, Bynes briefly dated Seth MacFarlane after voicing a character in an episode of MacFarlane’s show “Family Guy.”
25. In 2012, Bynes was charged with driving under the influence in West Hollywood. Two years later, the charge was dropped and she received a three-year probation.
26. In May 2013, Bynes was charged with reckless endangerment and marijuana possession after she was found smoking in the lobby of her Manhattan apartment building.
27. In July 2013, Ventura County sheriff’s deputies detained her after she allegedly started a small fire in the driveway of a stranger in Thousand Oaks. She was hospitalized under a 72 hour mental health evaluation hold.
