Amanda Bynes spent a lot of time on my TV screen as a kid. The Amanda Show lived rent-free in my head at all times. I didn’t just love Bynes, I wanted to be her. As far as I was concerned, she lived the perfect life, bouncing back and forth between Nickelodeon sweetheart and Hollywood movie star. I mean, She’s the Man, Hairspray, What a Girl Wants—these films raised me. I’d also argue that Bynes’ side role in Easy A was easily a scene-stealing performance.

So, naturally, it was upsetting for a lot of people to see Bynes struggle so publicly. And, just like we saw with Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, it was also horrible seeing society judge and tear Bynes down for changing her appearance and choosing to move away from the bright-eyed bushy-tailed mould networks and producers had imposed on her during her childhood. I’ll never quite understand the media’s fascination and subsequent fury at the thought of a woman changing her hair colour or getting a tattoo. But what else is Bynes up to now? Well, it looks like, after years of trying to distance herself from Hollywood, she’s making a comeback into the spotlight.

While not all of the details are known, Bynes has made it public knowledge that she’s suffered with both her mental health and substance abuse. Moreover, it’s been extensively documented that the former TV star has been in and out of mental health facilities over the years. According to TMZ, Bynes last checked into a facility in Orange County in July 2023. While it’s unclear if she is still staying there permanently, the former actress has been seen venturing out and about around the area.

Also, some might not be aware that Bynes was also in a conservatorship for nine years. Having been placed in the arrangement in 2013, Bynes petitioned for termination in 2022 on the grounds that she has consistently tested negative for illicit substances, has managed her mental health and that her psychiatrist has asserted she has the “capacity to give informed consent to any form of medical treatment,” as reported by Sky News.

In an interview with celebrity news outlet TooFab, Bynes revealed: “I’m working on a podcast about the entertainment industry with my best friend Paul Sieminski who is a biochemist and scientist. We met in treatment and have very similar interests. Our goal is to start a beauty brand in the future. Our podcast will be on Spotify and it’s called Paul & Amanda: The Podcast.”

Speaking about Sieminski’s involvement, Bynes continued: “Having his beautiful mind being a part of this podcast is just going to bring it to another level I think because he’s going to ask great questions and I think he’ll kind of carry most of the weight in terms of just like topics of conversation.”

The podcast itself will supposedly be entertainment-based, touching on topics like fashion, music, actors, movies, etc.

Bynes also shared details about the upcoming podcast on her Instagram:

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