Amanda Bynes

A former child star, Amanda was recently named one of the highest-paid celebrities under 21 by Forbes. This summer, she’ll leave children’s films behind with a role in the John Travolta musical, Hairspray.





Biography for Amanda Bynes

Date of Birth
3 April 1986, Thousand Oaks, California, USA

Birth Name
Amanda Laura Bynes

Nickname
Chicky

Height
5' 9½" (1.77 m)





Mini Biography

Amanda Laura Bynes was born on April 3, 1986, in Thousand Oaks, California. The youngest of three children, she became interested in acting and performing from the age of three, when she would say her older sister Jillian's lines with her while she performed in plays. It was from then on that her family and friends knew that she would be a star someday.

Her acting debut was in 1996, when she auditioned for and got the role as a newcomer on "All That" (1994). Right away, she became very popular as people enjoyed her acting in skits, especially Ask Ashley, where she played a little girl running an advice column who would get very angry every time she read a letter.

In 1999, 13-year-old Amanda was given her own variety show, "The Amanda Show" (1999), in which she starred in all of the skits except Totally Kyle. In 2001, she co-starred with Frankie Muniz in Big Fat Liar (2002) as Kaylee, Jason's friend who helps him prove that he really did write the essay "Big Fat Liar" and regain his father's trust. It was also in 2001 that she began dating Taran Killam from "The Amanda Show" (1999) and Big Fat Liar (2002), who is four years and two days older than she is. She also won a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award and, at age 15, "The Amanda Show" (1999) ended its run.

In 2002, she began co-starring with Jennie Garth in "What I Like About You" (2002) as Holly, a 16-year-old girl who moves in with her sister after their father decides to move to Japan. She also celebrated her Sweet 16th birthday and got her driver's license on April 3, 2002.

In 2003, Amanda won two KCA Awards and starred as Daphne, a girl searching for her father, in What a Girl Wants (2003) with Colin Firth and Kelly Preston as her parents. She continued acting in "What I Like About You" (2002) and broke up with Taran.

On April 3, 2004, Amanda celebrated her 18th birthday on the 17th Annual KCA Awards, where we she won an award for best actress for her role in What a Girl Wants (2003). She graduated from Thousand Oaks High School's independent study program on June 10, 2004, and filmed Lovewrecked (2005) in 2004. A prodigiously talented comedienne, she promises to have a lifelong career.





Trivia

Lives in Ventura County, California, with her Dad, Rick, who is a dentist; her Mom, Lynn, who works in her father's dental office, and her sister Jillian (b. 1983). She also has a brother, Tommy (b. 1974), who is a chiropractor, as well as a niece named Jaylyn (b. March 4, 2004).

Is a straight-A student.

Had her own variety show at age 13.

Owns a Honda Accord.

Her mother's family lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Her father is from Chicago, Illinois.

Favorite subject is English.

Has two dogs: Tootsie Roll (golden labrador) and Betty Boop (Australian shepherd); three cats, Subbie, Dubbie and Tiger; and a fish named Bella.

Her brother Tommy was a student at Thousand Oaks High School.

Appeared in her first television commercial for Nestle's Buncha Crunch candy at age 7.

At the age of 7, had been in community plays starring in "Annie" at the Camarillo Youth Center. Her first rave reviews appeared when a reviewer from Ventura Star newspaper called her "sensational" as Scout in "To Kill a Mockingbird" (at the Arts Council Center in Thousand Oaks) and "even more impressive" in the lead as Mary in "The Secret Garden" (at the Conejo Players Theater).

Shoe size is 9.

Her father attended USC.

Had a lemon tree in her family's backyard.

Graduated from Thousand Oaks High, Class of 2004.

Favorite lip glosses: Prescriptives Gloss, Lancôme Juicy Tubes.

At 17, she was rated 2003's 3rd hottest teen female star.

Favorite drink is Coke.

Likes roses.

Favorite fashion designer: Narciso Rodríguez.

Has about eight Juicy Couture outfits (2003).

Wears contact lenses.

Rank at #33 on the E! 50 Cutest Child Stars: All Grown Up (2005)

Enjoys reading "Memoirs of a Geisha.".

She currently (2006) drives a 2005 white Lexus SC430.

She currently (2006) lives in an apartment in Hollywood, California with her dog Midge.

Her inspirations came from Bette Midler and Lucille Ball.

Is good friends with Frankie Muniz.

She donated many items to Rocky Stone to be given to less fortunate kids as part of the Toy Mountain Campaign.

Has one older brother, Tommy, and one older sister, Jillian.





Personal Quotes

"The first time I got the script, it said "The Amanda Show" (1999) on it. I thought they were kidding. I'm still little Amanda, and to be getting my own show, it's like, oh, my gosh!" - at age 13

"It was my first season of "All That" (1994). Kenan Thompson and I were playing ping- pong in this scene, and we were supposed to collide heads. As we were falling down, I hit myself in the lip with the paddle. I looked down and saw a puddle of blood, and I had to be rushed to the studio hospital with a swollen lip. My friend was like, 'Don't worry, Amanda. It doesn't look too bad you know, thousands of women pay [for collagen injections] to have their lips that big."

"I'm the type of person who believes that everything happens for a reason, and at the time that it's supposed to. So now...other ideas are coming up for other movies and everything is just happening really wonderfully."

"People don't recognize I'm getting older. They see reruns of "All That" (1994) so they assume I'm ten years old. I'm 16. I'm almost 5' 8". I'm driving now."

"I'm a positive person. People should find happiness in the little things, like family."

"I think my parents are a big part of that because I'm still a normal kid. Like there are times I get frustrated because I want to wear certain shoes and they don't want me to wear them. It's all good in the end because I realize that there will be a time and place for high shoes."

"I want to be looked at as an adult actress. That's why I didn't want to do a big movie when I was 11. I was waiting till I was a little bit older."

"Whatever is meant to be will be and you just have to trust that things happen for a reason. It's made handling disappointments that much easier because I just remember my mom's words and know that something better is meant to come my way."

"I'm a good person, and I don't want to undermine anyone. I don't want to make anyone look stupid. I don't talk badly about people. I just try to be a nice girl and that's the best way to stay out of it. Some people have such big egos that they have to knock people down to get ahead. And I'm just who I am, and I'm a person who's very lucky. But my life is my family and not my job. If it ever got too crazy I'd be like, 'Okay, I'm checkin' out now.'"

"I want to be known for the work I've done, as opposed to where I go on Saturday nights...I like to let loose just like anyone else, but I don't want to be photographed doing it."

I love movies that have a good story. I love movies that make you feel good about yourself but I also love movies that make you walk away thinking about them. I like things that have, you know, something to them.

Every person is so different and I don't think there is an exact match for every person. If you meet someone and they have 20 of the 25 things you want in a person, then you're pretty lucky.

Going to another country you're not in your house, you're with people you've never met before, and I think it's definitely a good growing experience.

I don't like being compared to anyone or being in a class with someone. I'm a teen actress and therefore I'm competing against Hilary Duff. We're different people like everyone else.

I get a script and it's really interesting with scripts, because you never really know. It's paper and it could be great or awful. Even scripts that are good could end up not working.

I like the dress-up part. In real life, I'm into sweats and never like that, but I do like to get dressed up--like most girls.

People have a preconceived notion about who I am and it's interesting. It's like picking who you want to win for the Oscars and not seeing the movie.

We try to magnify the difference between Americans and the English. In real life they like the same music and dress the same. It's really much more similar than anyone thinks or how we show it.

I'm really excited about my life. You only get one and I want to enjoy it.

I'm so protected in my Nickelodeon bubble and "What I Like About You." It's all pretty much the same people I've worked with and it was pretty protected.

I loved Clueless (1995). That was one of my favorite movies of all time.

I'm so against it. People should strive to be happy with who they are and not be obsessed with how they look. Beauty is nothing

"I enjoy doing things that are scary or things that some girls might not like because it won't let them look gorgeous. Like, in my new movie I play a boy, and every day they'd pin my hair back and I'd have no makeup. That's when you start relying more on your sense of humor."

"I think every girl wants someone who is smart and funny, and I do too. But I want someone who is interesting. I mean, I want to be attracted to him, but beauty fades. There are many guys and girls who grew up being beautiful and never had to be smart or look hard for anything."

I think women look better and better as they get older, but there is some pressure on them to look a certain way. I personally think we should grow old gracefully. Like, my mum has great hair and it's beautiful. It looks natural.

(On college) "I knew that I wanted to be a performer of some sort, like an actress or a comedian, when I was really young, so I worked for that."

"My whole family loves comedies. We're always laughing. I think I grew up sort of admiring comedians and I grew up watching the greats. And so my dad was really supportive of me doing this. And my mom was supportive, too. It just helped having a funny family."

"I am doing the best I can and I don't want to ever be compared to somebody that great because then when someone sees me they'll say, 'No, she's not that good.' But I'm working hard and I hope that I can eventually live up to that title"

(On her parents, Richard and Lynn) "I love them because they accept me for who I am and they love me with all my faults. I am so grateful for them. I want to be with them forever. This is a good time to tell you! I'm never leaving!"

"I think I'll go out as much as I've ever gone out...which is not a lot. I like to dance and stuff, but drinking isn't good for you in every way. It's not good for your skin; it makes you feel horrible. So, drinking-wise, no."























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