Amanda Bynes Went from a Promising Actress to Fighting for Her Life — inside Her Downfall

Amanda Bynes was a child star who was eyed as the next Lucille Ball but spiraled down after succumbing to substance abuse.

At the age of 13, Amanda Bynes already had her own series, "The Amanda Show," on Nickelodeon and starred in several popular comedy movies.

She had an early retirement in 2010 and later hit the headlines for several encounters with the law and substance abuse. Here's a look at her story.

A STAR IS BORN

In 1986, child actress Amanda Laura Bynes was born in Thousand Oaks, California. She launched her career with Nickelodeon's "All That" and later, "The Amanda Show," which landed her three Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards.

Her talents were later taken to the big screen with films like "Big Fat Liar," "What I Like About You," "What A Girl Wants," "She's the Man," "Lovewrecked," "Sydney White," and "Hairspray."

At an early age, Bynes could be seen as a promising star, full of potential, with a bright future in the entertainment industry.

In 2010, the young actress starred in "Easy A" alongside Emma Stone and had an adult stint as she posed for Maxim magazine.

Earlier this year, Bynes hit the headlines once again as she announced her engagement to Paul Michael on Valentine’s Day with an Instagram photo.

The same year, Bynes announced her retirement on Twitter, claiming she no longer has a passion for acting and is retiring.

SPIRALING DOWN

Two years later, the actress hit the headlines for several arrests, including a hit-and-run traffic violation and a DUI.

She was also caught driving with a suspended license for her previous violations. In 2013, Bynes had yet another problem with the law and was summoned to court for allegedly throwing a bong out of a 36th-floor window.

The actress stepped away from the limelight in the years afterward, until 2018, when she told her story in an interview with Paper magazine.

Bynes revealed that in 2007, she read that some women used the prescription drug Adderall to lose weight, and she began doing the same. Her intake affected Bynes' acting in the film "Hall Pass." She shared:

“When I was doing ‘Hall Pass,’ I remember being in the trailer, and I used to chew the Adderall tablets because I thought they made me high. I remember chewing on a bunch of them and literally being scatterbrained.”

Bynes walked out of the film after seeing herself on camera and not liking how she looked. Not long after, she retired from show business and drowned in a world of drugs.

During the time of her interview, the former child star had already been four months sober with the help and support of her parents.

EXPERIENCING RELAPSE

In 2019, Bynes checked in to rehab again for her mental health and drug addiction relapse, after the stress from a fashion school got to her.

Earlier this year, Bynes hit the headlines once again as she announced her engagement to Paul Michael on Valentine's Day with an Instagram photo.

The former star became a news subject the following month as the court ordered her to check in to a psychiatric facility over her conservatorship case.

Bynes' parents, who are her conservators, did not allow their daughter to marry Michael, resulting in the actress's split from her partner.

In May, the "She's the Man" star revealed on social media that she'd been seeking treatment for the past two months and is still engaged to Michael.