Inside Amanda Bynes’ sad spiral from teen romcom queen to psychiatric hold: How Hollywood star ended up roaming the streets naked and alone after struggling with substance abuse, a conservatorship and mental illness
- The child star turned Hollywood teen queen, 36, has been placed on a psychiatric hold after being found naked in downtown LA on Sunday morning
- Last year her nine-year-long conservatorship – which she was placed under following a string of arrests and bizarre behavior – was terminated
- The California-born actress started out in the industry at the young age of seven, before transitioning to a teenage romcom queen
Amanda Bynes, a child star turned Hollywood teen queen who once had a dazzling career full of promise, has been placed on a psychiatric hold after being found naked and alone on the streets of downtown LA in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The California-born star, 36, started out in the industry at the young age of seven, and went on to become one of the biggest child actors of her generation. She later a transitioned to a teenage romcom queen, starring in a number of successful films, including She’s the Man, alongside Channing Tatum, in 2006.
But just when she seemed to have the world at her feet, her career took a hit following a 2012 DUI arrest, culminating in her being charged with two misdemeanor counts of hit-and-run.
And her troubles didn’t end there, as the following year, the actress was placed under a nine-year-long conservatorship – following a continued struggle with mental health and substance abuse issues.
As Bynes’ troubled personal life continues to make the headlines – including her latest frightening psychiatric episode – DailyMail.com looks back at her rise to fame.
Through the years: Amanda Bynes, 36, has had a bumpy ride in Hollywood, following her rise to fame as a child actor to most recently being placed on a psychiatric hold; (L) Pictured in 2023, (R) Pictured 2009
RISE TO FAME AS A CHILD STAR AND LATER ROMCOM QUEEN
Bynes was born in Thousand Oaks, California, as Amanda Laura Bynes, and is the youngest of three children born to dental assistant Lynn and dentist Rick Bynes.
She started out her career in the ’90s Nickelodeon sketch show She’s All That!
After charming the audiences, she landed her own series, The Amanda Show, which ran from 1999 to 2002 and receiving a number of accolades.
From 2002 to 2006, she also played Jennie Garth’s sister on What I Like About You.
She then made her film debut as Kaylee in Big Fat Liar in 2002.
Her film career continued to prosper, and she landed a string of successful romantic comedy movies.
The up-and-coming star thrilled audiences in the role of Daphne Reynolds in the 2003 hit film What a Girl Wants, with Colin Firth.
Bynes’ next big role was the 2006 film She’s the Man, with Channing Tatum, which grossed more than $57 million worldwide.
In the film she took on the role of teenager Viola Hastings, who enters her brother’s boarding school in his place and pretends to be a boy, playing on the boys’ soccer team.
How it started: Bynes started out her career in the ’90s Nickelodeon show She’s All That! (pictured) before landing her own series, The Amanda Show, which ran from 1999 to 2002
Romcom queen: Her career continued to rise, and she landed a string of successful romantic comedy movies including the 2003 hit film What a Girl Wants; Pictured in a still with Colin Firth
Breakout role: Bynes’ next big role was the 2006 film She’s the Man, with Channing Tatum, where she pretended to be a boy in order to play on the school’s soccer team
AN EARLY ‘RETIREMENT’ FROM ACTING
The actress continued to rise in the Hollywood ranks throughout the early 2000s, and went on to star in Hairspray and Sydney White.
However in 2010 she declared on Twitter – at the age of 24 – that she would be retiring, writing that ‘being an actress isn’t as fun as it may seem.’
The retirement was a short-lived one, and Bynes returned to work just a few weeks later, announcing she would star in the 2010 film Easy A, along with Emma Stone and Penn Badgley.
However, the short hiatus was an indication that things were about to take a turn in her career.
Just two years after that announcement, it was Amanda’s personal life that began to make the headlines.
Early retirement: Though her career was prospering, in 2010 she declared on Twitter – at the age of 24 – that she would be retiring, writing that ‘being an actress isn’t as fun as it may seem’; Pictured 2009
Short: The retirement was short-lived, and Bynes returned to work a few weeks later, announcing her role in the 2010 film Easy A with Emma Stone; Pictured in a still with Emma
DUI, SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES, AND A CONSERVATORSHIP
In April of 2012 she was arrested on suspicion of DUI. She pleaded not guilty, but was charged with two misdemeanor counts of hit-and-run.
In 2013 Amanda – who had been previously diagnosed with both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia – was arrested for throwing a bong out of a window of the 36th floor of her Manhattan apartment.
That same year she was put on a psychiatric hold after being accused of setting a fire in a stranger’s driveway.
Two years after her first DUI, the troubled star was arrested for a DUI once again in 2014, after she was pulled over in the San Fernando Valley neighborhood of Los Angeles and cited for being under the influence of a controlled substance while driving her Mercedes-Benz.
The star – who was 28-years-old at the time – was released that same day on $15,000 bail.
Following her first DUI, she was placed under a conservatorship in August 2013.
A year after her conservatorship began — with her parents assuming control of her affairs — Amanda raised concerns when she tweeted that her father had been ‘verbally and physically’ abusive to her during her childhood years.
She also accused him of being ‘incestuous’ toward her.
Her parents denied the allegations, and Amanda quickly changed her tune with an equally concerning tweet.
‘My dad never did any of those things,’ she tweeted. ‘The microchip in my brain made me say those things but he’s the one that ordered them to microchip me.’
DUI: In April of 2012 she was arrested on suspicion of DUI. She pleaded not guilty, but was charged with two misdemeanor counts of hit-and-run. Two years later she was arrested for a DUI once again; Pictured in her 2012 mugshot
Arrested: In 2013 she was arrested for throwing a bong out of a window of the 36th floor of her Manhattan apartment
Bizarre behavior: As her life continued to spiral out of control, Bynes was pictured rocking a disheveled platinum blonde wig during a 2013 court appearance
Start of conservatorship: That year she was put on a psychiatric hold after being accused of setting a fire in a stranger’s driveway, before being placed under a conservatorship
END OF HER CONSERVATORSHIP
In 2019, Bynes checked into a mental health facility following a relapse.
The former child star had planned a Hollywood comeback in 2018, and that decision contributed to her relapse, it was reported at the time.
However after her setback, the retired actress appeared to be doing great and even graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in June 2019.
In 2022 Bynes’ conservatorship of nine years was terminated, after a judge ruled the legal arrangement was ‘no longer required.’
He said: ‘She’s done everything the court has asked over a long period of time.’
‘The court determines that the conservatorship is no longer required and that grounds for establishment of a conservatorship of the person no longer exist,’ the ruling read.
Her attorney David A. Esquibias recently told TMZ her parents agreed with her that she has made ‘significant progress’ in managing her bipolar disorder.
When the arrangement first began in 2013 after Amanda’s breakdown, it was her mother Lynn who was appointed her conservator.
Esquibias told People at the time: ‘Amanda wishes to terminate her conservatorship. She believes her condition is improved and protection of the court is no longer necessary.’
After the hearing, the actress posted a headline about the ruling on her Instagram with a caption that read: ‘I’m a bird that now I can fly!’
The ruling meant that Bynes, who once had a reported net worth of $3 million, could now make her own personal and financial decisions.
Struggles: The star has dealt with significant mental health issues, and she was previously diagnosed with both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia; Pictured 2015
End of conservatorship: In 2022 Bynes’ conservatorship of nine years was terminated, after a judge ruled it was ‘no longer required.’ Her mother Lynn had been appointed her conservator during the nine years; Pictured with Lynn and dad Rick Bynes
BUMPY ROMANCE AND ENGAGEMENT
Bynes began a bumpy romance with Paul Michael, after the two stayed at the same sober living facility, and announced her shock engagement on Valentine’s Day in 2020.
At the time she shared a photo of her diamond ring on Instagram, writing, ‘Engaged to tha love of my life,’ but did not reveal his identity at first.
Three weeks after they confirmed their engagement, Michael announced that they had split, however the pair were back together by March, with Amanda posting a selfie of the duo.
On April 28, the Easy A alum called the police on the healthcare worker during a dispute over him relapsing. She accused him of vandalizing his mother’s home, looking at MILF porn, and being off his meds.
‘Paul told me that he stopped taking his medications,’ she claimed via Instagram at the time. ‘He vandalized his mom’s home. He broke all of her pictures and put salmon under her bed. His behavior is alarming, and I’m afraid of what he’ll do.’
The on-and-off-again couple broke off their engagement in July of 2022, but reportedly got back together in August and were rumored to be living together again in Amanda’s L.A. home.
Though Bynes has reconciled with her ex-fiancé, their engagement is reportedly not back on.
Bumpy romance: Bynes began a bumpy romance with Paul Michael, after the two stayed at the same sober living facility, and announced her shock engagement on Valentine’s Day in 2020
Hectic: The on-and-off-again couple broke off their engagement in 2022, but reportedly got back together in August and were rumored to be living together again in Amanda’s L.A. home
PLACED ON PSYCHIATRIC HOLD AFTER WALKING THE STREETS NAKED
On Monday it was reported that Bynes has been placed on a psychiatric hold after she was found ‘roaming the streets naked and alone’, as per TMZ.
Bynes, who canceled a public appearance on Saturday, was seen walking near downtown Los Angeles early on Sunday morning without any clothes on.
She is said to have waved a car down, telling a driver she was ‘coming down from a psychotic episode’ before she called 911.
Bynes was taken to a police station where a mental health team placed her on a 5150 psychiatric hold.
A 5150 is a legal action from the CA Welfare and Institutions Code. It allows a qualified officer or clinician to confine someone against their will for 72 hours which can be extended. During this time, the person will be fully assessed for their mental health status.
Bynes is currently hospitalized and will likely receive care for several days. She is not believed to have been hurt during the incident.
This comes after the actress pulled out of reuniting with the rest of the All That cast at ’90s Con on Saturday, citing an ‘unknown illness’, according to That’s 4 Entertainment.
New woes: On Monday it was reported that Bynes has been placed on a psychiatric hold after she was found ‘roaming the streets naked and alone’
At the last minute, the actress, who previously expressed her eagerness to reconnect with her former Nickelodeon castmates at the event, had to cancel.
Her attendance at the highly-anticipated reunion, alongside Kenan Thompson, Kel Mitchell, Danny Tamberelli and Lori Beth Denberg, would have marked her first public appearance since the end of her eight-year conservatorship in March 2022.
She has yet to publicly address the health concern that prevented her from going, but just two months ago, she told People that she was ‘really excited to reunite with’ her ‘cast mates and meet the fans’ 23 years after the original show ended.
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