Known for some of the most popular early 2000s series and movies, Amanda Bynes also grew to become one of those infamous child stars who fell from grace in Hollywood. But now, it would appear that the tide may finally turn for the former actress.
Amanda has just announced a surprising new career shift as she is making a comeback into the world of podcasts, rather than on the big screen.
After staying out of the spotlight for years, the 37-year-old debuted “Amanda Bynes & Paul Sieminski: The Podcast” On December 9. The series, available also in video format, marks the first on-camera project for Amanda since filming the 2010 comedy movie “Easy A”.
Amanda Bynes just announced a surprising new career shift as she is making a comeback into the world of podcasts
Before the release, the former Hollywood star had taken to Instagram to share a photo of herself, Paul, and their guest, Los Angeles tattoo artist Dahlia Moth, sitting on a couch together.
She wrote in the caption: “First episode of Amanda Bynes & Paul Sieminski: The Podcast done. Thank you @dahliamoth!”
Naturally, fans were delighted to hear news from the former actress making a return to the public eye, as a person commented: “Can’t wait to hear what Amanda Bynes has to say on her new podcast! It’s been a long time since she’s had a platform to, you know, express herself.”
Amanda initially rose to fame as a child actress on Nickelodeon
Image credits: ClassicNick
Image credits: ClassicNick
In the first episode of the podcast, Amanda didn’t talk about herself but rather played the role of interviewer, as per Outlook India. She and co-host Paul, a biochemist, spoke to Dahlia, who had met Amanda a few years ago while working at a Spirit Halloween store.
Episode one of Amanda Bynes & Paul Sieminski: The Podcast is now available to stream on Spotify.
Amanda initially rose to fame as a child actress on Nickelodeon, appearing on the sketch comedy series All That, which ran from 1996 to 2000, and its spin-off series The Amanda Show, which ran from 1999 to 2002.
In 2010, Amanda stepped away from the entertainment industry, announcing her retirement in the same year her final movie Easy A hit the big screens
Image credits: Sony Pictures Entertainment
The Y2K icon moved on to bigger movie roles including the 2006 movie She’s The Man alongside Channing Tatum, as well as the 2003 film What A Girl Wants, and 2007’s movie musical Hairspray with Zac Efron and Nikki Blonsky.
Her talent and popularity earned her multiple awards, including Critics’ Choice Movie Awards and multiple Kids’ Choice Awards, as well as a dedicated fanbase.
However, in 2010, Amanda stepped away from the entertainment industry, announcing her retirement in the same year her final movie Easy A hit the big screens.
Her private life became a highly publicized matter, which saw her struggle with mental health and other issues. Her trials in the public eye prompted her to be in a conservatorship from August 2013 to March 2022.
In 2018, the then-32-year-old gave an in-depth interview with Paper Magazine, breaking the silence after many years of speculations regarding her mental health in the media.
She revealed: “I started smoking marijuana when I was 16. Even though everyone thought I was the ‘good girl,’ I did smoke marijuana from that point on.
“I didn’t get addicted (then) and I wasn’t abusing it. And I wasn’t going out and partying or making a fool of myself… yet.”
Amanda’s struggles in the public eye prompted her to be in a conservatorship from August 2013 to March 2022
“Later it progressed to doing molly and ecstasy,” she continued, adding that she also tried cocaine but disliked it as well as Adderall after pretending to have symptoms of attention deficit disorder because it allegedly kept people “skinny.”
Amanda admitted to the publication that after she saw herself in Easy A, alongside Emma Stone, she was compelled to remove herself from acting.
She said: “I saw it and I was convinced that I should never be on camera again and I officially retired on Twitter, which was, you know, also stupid.”
After that, Bynes “got really into my drug usage” and “was just stuck at home, getting high, watching TV and tweeting.”
In the first episode of the podcast, Amanda didn’t talk about herself but rather played the role of interviewer, speaking with tattoo artist Dahlia Moth
In 2014, Amanda made headlines after accusing her father of emotional and sexual abuse in a series of tweets. After her parents protested and claimed innocence, Amanda tweeted that her father had never abused her, adding: “The microchip in my brain made me say those things but he’s the one that ordered them to microchip me.”
Days later, Amanda’s mother obtained conservatorship of her, and the former starlet was therefore announced diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Fans were happy after years of rooting for Amanda
