Amanda Bynes was the ultimate scene-stealer in the 2010 teen comedy, Easy A, but she hasn't done anything in film or TV since the movie released. Bynes, who is now 34 years old, worked alongside Emma Stone in the critically acclaimed film in the role of Marianne Bryant, a devout Christian. The film, which took a modern approach to The Scarlett Letter, turned out to be a major financial success.
However, Bynes was already a notable name by the time Easy A released. She rose to prominence from a young age thanks in part to Nickelodeon. She served as a cast member on All That from season 3 to season 6 and then became a series regular on the game show Figure It Out, before getting her own sketch comedy series, The Amanda Show. When the series came to an end in 2002, Bynes turned her focus to movies.
The actress starred alongside Frankie Muiz and Paul Giamatti in the 2002 comedy Big Fat Liar. Due to her onscreen presence, she kept acquiring lead roles in films that would go on to become cult classics. First was 2003's What a Girl Wants as Daphne Reynolds and then came She's the Man, a 2006 film based on William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night that also starred Channing Tatum. In that time, Bynes also starred as Holly Taylor in the WB sitcom What I Like About You. She went on to star in two more films, Hairspray and Sydney White, but shortly before the release of Easy A, Bynes shocked fans by announcing her indefinite hiatus from acting. That hiatus since turned into an unofficial retirement after encountering a number of personal issues.
Amanda Bynes Has Suffered From Mental Health & Substance Abuse
Though Bynes made the choice to step away from acting, the potential to jump back into her career seemed to be derailed due to legal issues. In 2012, the former actress was charged with a DUI. Within the next two years, Bynes found more trouble with a reckless endangerment charge, marijuana possession, and setting a fire in a stranger's driveway. Following the events, Bynes was put under a mental-health evaluation hold.
After seeking help from loved ones and medical professionals, Bynes announced that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in late 2014. She managed to find sobriety and took responsibility for her past erratic behavior, which she admittedly credited to her substance abuse. Bynes went on to put out a public apology through an interview with Paper Magazine:
"I'm really ashamed and embarrassed with the things I said. I can't turn back time but if I could, I would. And I'm so sorry to whoever I hurt and whoever I lied about because it truly eats away at me. It makes me feel so horrible and sick to my stomach and sad. Everything I worked my whole life to achieve, I kind of ruined it all through Twitter."
It's unclear what Bynes is currently doing professionally, but she seems happier than she had been in recent years. She is currently engaged to a man named Paul Michael and there were rumors that the pair were expecting a child. Bynes' lawyer later claimed that the news was false. Other than continuing to work on her mental health, Bynes hopes to continue her education and return to acting one day. Long-time fans have supported her throughout the years and they will surely welcome her back with open arms if she decides to get back in front of the camera. If not, Easy A wasn't a bad way to end a career.