One could legitimately argue that Amanda Bynes’ career served as an inspiration to child stars and actors alike. She established herself as one of Nickelodeon’s top talents in the early aughts, becoming a beloved child actor with her infectious personality and comedic skills.
Before starring in her own comedy series, The Amanda Show, Bynes shot to fame as a cast member on the popular children’s show All That, when she was just 13 years old. From then on, her reputation as the comedy teen queen continued to grow, and she started to be featured on magazine covers, and romantic comedies, and receive awards for her roles.
Sadly, despite having many leading parts throughout her career, Bynes eventually gave up acting. Her life has endured an array of legal issues, health setbacks, and a conservatorship.
The retired actress, who has only recently announced her new career as a manicurist, is said to have been at odds with her parents as a teenager, especially her “strict” dad.
Amanda Bynes Almost Moved In With Dan Schneider?
Amanda Bynes’ relationship with her parents, Rick and Lynn Bynes, has often been described as difficult or aloof due to her struggles with emotional and mental health. As per a report published in People, it appears that the All That star’s relationship with her parents soured when she was a teenager. She even considered moving in with Dan Schneider and his spouse, Lisa Lillien, while also exploring the possibility of legally separating from them.
Unbeknownst to some, All That, The Adventures of Kid Danger, and The Amanda Show are just a few of the comedy series that Schneider has developed, written and produced. According to his wife:
“She [Amanda Bynes] was spending a lot of time with us. But she never left her [family’s] house.”
Bynes struggled most with her father, according to another person close to the family at the time who spoke to People. As they phrased it:
“Her parents were very, very strict with Amanda. Her dad called all the shots and was very controlling.”
In 2007, Bynes made an appearance on The Tonight Show and said that her father had set the foundation for her comedic career. Note that her dad was present in the audience. She revealed to the host, Jay Leno (via YouTube):
“My parents actually were very strict … I was never allowed to go to the mall alone or with friends. But as you can see that’s where I got my love of comedy — from my funny dad.”
In 2013, her parents placed her under conservatorship due to her substance abuse problems and legal issues (see NBC News). We learned from Today that Bynes—who was 26 at the time—was detained in April 2012 on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI after colliding with a patrol car.
Two years later, according to The Associated Press, she entered a plea of not guilty to reckless driving caused by intoxication and was given a sentence of three years on probation and three months of alcohol education classes.
The conservatorship was formally ended on March 22, 2022, as per Deadline.
Claims Of Abuse Led To Dan Schneider’s Termination From Nickelodeon In 2018
Amidst numerous accusations of mental, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, Dan Schneider, 58, was fired from his position as a longtime writer and producer at Nickelodeon in 2018. In a joint statement, Schneider and the network gave a reason for the breakup of their partnership and said it happened at a “natural time”. Nevertheless, charges soon emerged, seeming to contradict at least part of that claim (via People).
Moreover, his alleged fondness for pictures of his young stars’ feet was one accusation against him that alarmed a lot of people (via X). A Deadline writer claimed that Schneider had a habit of tweeting images of his young female talent’s toes. That’s quite shocking to learn, actually!
Schneider stated, via The New York Times, that he “made no effort to s*xualize his young stars” and that he was “goofy and funny” about the feet of the children who starred in his shows. He further declared:
“The comedy was totally innocent.”
Yet, the investigation into Schneider’s time at the network turned up even more troubling patterns, according to a 2022 Los Angeles Times report. According to some of the accusations, he “created an uncomfortable, bizarre environment that he ruled over like a fiefdom” and demanded “the most revealing” costumes for the underage girls in the shows.
Regardless of the truth behind these rumors, Amanda Bynes is at a crossroads in her life, having retired from acting in 2010. In 2024, she declared that she would be pursuing a new career as a manicurist.
