Amanda Bynes now: Did she say Dan Schneider caused her breakdown?

Amanda Bynes was one of Nickelodeon’s defining stars of the 90s. From wearing several comedic hats over three seasons of All That all the way to trivia game shows like Figure It Out, Bynes was a bona fide child star. As time went on, she quickly shot to big-screen fame across several titles such as Easy A and Big Fat Liar. Unfortunately, her stardom dimmed after a mental health breakdown.

As 2020 ended with pop culture finally focusing on mental health, many fans are checking in with their childhood faves who became notorious for their mental struggles. In the years since her struggles dominated tabloids, Amanda Bynes has become quite enigmatic. 

What is the actress up to now? Let’s take it from the top.

Odd coincidences

While working together, Schneider’s suggestive and short temper with Amanda Bynes and other younger actresses steadily went from hushed rumours to open secrets. As the years went on, fans began to notice a change in Bynes’s temperament as well. Their suspicion began to point towards inappropriate behavior within the walls of the TV network. 

As Bynes and other young teens filmed more & more scenes increasingly suggestive for their young age, certain character idiosyncrasies raised questions about Schneider’s behavior behind the scenes. One scene in particular included a young Ariana Grande on another of Schneider’s shows, iCarly. Twitter fans who have grown up since the episode aired noted how the episode’s focus on feet likely carried extra meaning.

As time went on, the writing of Dan Schneider’s shows came under more scrutiny. In the eyes of fans, the executive’s jokes surrounding allegations of innapropriate behavior after the episodes aired further implicated him for Amanda Bynes’s downward spiral.

Rising above

In March of 2020, a lawyer for Bynes disclosed that she was seeking ongoing treatment for her mental health struggles. While rumors continued to fly about drinking binges and drug use, her lawyer maintained that they were categorically false. This statement came at the same time Bynes took to Instagram to celebrate fourteen months of sobriety, nestled snugly with a mystery man.

“Worked on coping skills to help with my social anxiety that caused me to drop out of school months ago,” she wrote. “Back on track and doing well! I’m now living in transitional living and doing therapy during the week.”

Bynes went on to reveal that she’s still engaged and sent her fans well wishes that everyone continue to stay safe.

Reinvention

Two months after clearing her Instagram of all posts, Amanda Bynes returned on October 2 with a new appearance and no caption. Wearing translucent sunglasses and a vibrant septum, Bynes returned to social media in decidedly punk fashion with black hair, ripped jeans, and accessories to match. Fans quickly began speculating whether the actress was preparing for a new role, or if something else was afoot.

With comments disabled on her Instagram, it was clearly not a discussion she wanted to participate in. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree at FIDM, she seems to be ready to redirect the conversation away from her mental health and toward her creative endeavors.

Rumors continue to swirl around the release of a fashion line closely connected to the actress, called Matte Black. After changing her Instagram handle several times over the years, her change to “matteblackfragrance” also has fans wondering about a new perfume line in the works. 

The profile under that handle is no longer available, and Bynes continues to live an increasingly lower profile. All factors considered, things seem to be looking up for the actress. Either way, we continue to wish her all the best.

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What else do you think Amanda Bynes has up her sleeve now? Let us know in the comments!