Before she wasSydney White,Amanda ByneswasAll That.
The former child star was a Nickelodeon standout when she first began in the industry, leading the ensemble cast ofAll Thatwhile also anchoring her ownThe Amanda Show,showcasing her comedic timing and flawless delivery.
Bynes would go on to the big screen, earning acclaim for her starring roles inBig Fat LiarandWhat a Girl Wantsbefore unleashing her vocal talents in the movie adaptation of Broadway’sHairspray.
01of 09Amanda Bynes on ‘All That’Amanda Bynes on ‘All That’.All That/YoutubeAmanda Bynes got her start in kids’ comedy clubs and commercials before joining the cast of Nickelodeon’sAll Thatin 1996 at just 10 years old.When her time was up on stage during her routines, “they would physically carry her off,” her dad Rick once recalled to PEOPLE. “She didn’t want to give up the spotlight.”
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Amanda Bynes on ‘All That’
Amanda Bynes on ‘All That’.All That/Youtube
All That/Youtube
Amanda Bynes got her start in kids' comedy clubs and commercials before joining the cast of Nickelodeon’sAll Thatin 1996 at just 10 years old.
When her time was up on stage during her routines, “they would physically carry her off,” her dad Rick once recalled to PEOPLE. “She didn’t want to give up the spotlight.”
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Amanda Bynes on ‘The Amanda Show’
Amanda Bynes on ‘The Amanda Show’.NickRewind/Youtube
NickRewind/Youtube
Bynes' talents opened the door to a second Nick comedy series,The Amanda Show,which earned her three consecutive Kids Choice Awards for favorite actress from 2001 to 2003.
By 2003,Forbeshad her ranked as No. 97 on the Celebrity 100 list, estimating her net worth to be $2 million.
03of 09Amanda Bynes in ‘Big Fat Liar’Amanda Bynes and Frankie Muniz in ‘Big Fat Liar’.EverettBynes made her first move to movies alongside fellow child starFrankie Munizin 2002’sBig Fat Liar.“It wasn’t work,” Bynes told PEOPLE at the time. “We were just being goofy kids.“For his part, Muniz admitted he “had a huge crush” on his costar. But to her, “He’s just a great kid,” she said, adding, “I’m taller than he is and I’m still growing.”
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Amanda Bynes in ‘Big Fat Liar’
Amanda Bynes and Frankie Muniz in ‘Big Fat Liar’.Everett
Bynes made her first move to movies alongside fellow child starFrankie Munizin 2002’sBig Fat Liar.
“It wasn’t work,” Bynes told PEOPLE at the time. “We were just being goofy kids.”
For his part, Muniz admitted he “had a huge crush” on his costar. But to her, “He’s just a great kid,” she said, adding, “I’m taller than he is and I’m still growing.”
04of 09Amanda Bynes on ‘What I Like About You’Amanda Bynes and Jennie Garth on ‘What I Like About You’.Wb-Tv/Kobal/ShutterstockAt the same time, Bynes was starring on another series, playingJennie Garth’s little sister on the breezy WB sitcomWhat I Like About You.“That show was so much fun to make,“Garth toldYahoo! Entertainmentin 2022. “Fans of that show are super loyal. Like, it was kind of a cult following of its own. We were on for four years, and it was just a really great time.”
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Amanda Bynes on ‘What I Like About You’
Amanda Bynes and Jennie Garth on ‘What I Like About You’.Wb-Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock
At the same time, Bynes was starring on another series, playingJennie Garth’s little sister on the breezy WB sitcomWhat I Like About You.
“That show was so much fun to make,“Garth toldYahoo! Entertainmentin 2022. “Fans of that show are super loyal. Like, it was kind of a cult following of its own. We were on for four years, and it was just a really great time.”
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Amanda Bynes in ‘What a Girl Wants’
06of 09Amanda Bynes in ‘She’s the Man’Amanda Bynes in ‘She’s the Man’.Dreamworks Skg/Kobal/ShutterstockBynes starred opposite relative newcomerChanning Tatumin thisTwelfth Nightreboot, 2006’sShe’s the Man,about a girl who attempts to live as her twin brother so she can play on the boys’ soccer team.PEOPLE’s reviewer praised Bynes’ “flair for physical comedy” in the “feisty comedy,” and how she was “nailing the faux toughness of adolescent boys.”
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Amanda Bynes in ‘She’s the Man’
Amanda Bynes in ‘She’s the Man’.Dreamworks Skg/Kobal/Shutterstock
Dreamworks Skg/Kobal/Shutterstock
Bynes starred opposite relative newcomerChanning Tatumin thisTwelfth Nightreboot, 2006’sShe’s the Man,about a girl who attempts to live as her twin brother so she can play on the boys’ soccer team.
PEOPLE’s reviewer praised Bynes' “flair for physical comedy” in the “feisty comedy,” and how she was “nailing the faux toughness of adolescent boys.”
07of 09Amanda Bynes in ‘Hairspray’Amanda Bynes in ‘Hairspray’.courtesy Everett CollectionAs bubbly teen Penny Pingleton, Bynes showcased her singing skills alongside starNikki Blonskyin the star-studded 2007 movie rendition ofHairspraythe musical. The role earned her a Critics Choice Award and Hollywood Film Award in addition to her first Screen Actors Guild Award nomination as part of the ensemble.“We were always bouncing around set, dancing and singing and having a good time,“Blonsky told PEOPLE in 2022. “So definitely what you saw on screen was so real — that friendship was so real. To work with somebody whose humor was equivalent to a young Lucille Ball — I mean, just a brilliant actress. And I’m just so thankful that I had such a great experience and that we got to play such best friends.”
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Amanda Bynes in ‘Hairspray’
Amanda Bynes in ‘Hairspray’.courtesy Everett Collection
As bubbly teen Penny Pingleton, Bynes showcased her singing skills alongside starNikki Blonskyin the star-studded 2007 movie rendition ofHairspraythe musical. The role earned her a Critics Choice Award and Hollywood Film Award in addition to her first Screen Actors Guild Award nomination as part of the ensemble.
“We were always bouncing around set, dancing and singing and having a good time,“Blonsky told PEOPLE in 2022. “So definitely what you saw on screen was so real — that friendship was so real. To work with somebody whose humor was equivalent to a young Lucille Ball — I mean, just a brilliant actress. And I’m just so thankful that I had such a great experience and that we got to play such best friends.”
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Amanda Bynes in ‘Sydney White’
In another teen rom-com, Bynes played the titular Sydney White, a modern-day Snow White who wrangles seven outsiders to help her “overthrow an evil sorority queen who rules the campus,” per PEOPLE’s 2007 review, which also once again lauded the star’s acting skills: “Bynes is a natural clown.”
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Amanda Bynes in ‘Easy A’
Amanda Bynes in ‘Easy A’.Olive Bridge/Kobal/Shutterstock
Olive Bridge/Kobal/Shutterstock
Before the movie dropped, Bynes tweeted her retirement plans, writing, “Being an actress isn’t as fun as it may seem.” She later retracted the statement, though told PEOPLE one year later, “I really just needed some time off.”
source: people.com
