Starting her acting career at an early age, Amanda Bynes quickly rose to prominence as a beloved figure in American teen comedy, notably for her roles in films such as She’s the Man and Easy A. However, the latter which featured the 37-year-old former actress alongside the two-time Oscar winner Emma Stone has since become her last appearance on the silver screen in over a decade. Soon after its release, she announced that she would be stepping away from acting.
Amanda Bynes Was Last Seen Alongside Emma Stone in Easy A
The 2010 teen romantic comedy Easy A follows a high school student Olive (Emma Stone) as she fabricates a promiscuous persona to boost her social status, only to face unexpected consequences when her lies spiral out of control. Starring alongside Stone was Amanda Bynes as Marianne, the popular classmate of Stone’s character.
The romantic comedy was a critical and commercial hit, earning Stone a Golden Globe nomination and making $76 million on an estimated budget of $8 million. However, despite the film’s success, Bynes announced her hiatus from acting shortly after its release.
In an interview with Paper Magazine, the She’s the Man star reflected on her negative feelings towards her appearance and performance in the 2010 film. “I literally couldn’t stand my appearance in that movie and I didn’t like my performance,” she told the outlet.
Bynes further explained that it led her to contemplate “stop acting” after Easy A. The teen romantic comedy had a divergent impact on the two stars. While the film served as a breakthrough for Stone, it also ended up being Bynes’ final appearance on the silver screen.
Amanda Bynes Admitted Substance Abuse Triggered a Shift in Her Perception
During her interview with Paper Magazine, Amanda Bynes reflected on her decision to step down from acting. The former actress admitted that she was involved with substance abuse and it also had a profound impact on her perception of her on-screen presence. She shared,
“I was high on marijuana when I saw that but for some reason it really started to affect me.—It affected my brain in a different way than it affects other people. It absolutely changed my perception of things.”
She also admitted that her decision to announce her retirement on Twitter was impulsive and “stupid,” as she acknowledged that it would have been more appropriate to make a formal statement. “I should’ve done it in a press statement — but I did it on Twitter. Real classy!” she said before adding, “But, you know, I was high.”
Bynes had lined up more opportunities as she was set to star in the 2011 film Hall Pass after the 2010 film. However, she withdrew from the project due to substance abuse issues and confessed to consuming Adderall tablets which hindered her ability to focus or remember lines.
Bynes has recently been in conversation after she was seemingly referenced in an episode of the docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. However, she has largely maintained a low profile, occasionally providing updates to her fans and followers on social media.
Easy A is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
