Amanda Bynes' 10 Best Movies and TV Shows

Amanda Bynes

was almost everywhere in the late 1990s and early 2000s thanks to its presence on Nickelodeon, but not all of its best movies and TV shows were part of the kids' network. Nickelodeon certainly gave Bynes her big break thanks to appearances on the children's comedy series All of thisbut she also branched out into teen romantic comedies and even musicals as she got older.

Currently, Amanda Bynes no longer acts. After some mental health struggles, it seems staying out of the Hollywood spotlight is what works for Bynes. She's been active on social media while dabbling in other creative fields like fashion design and more traditional art, but her fans can still relive her time as an actress with the best film and TV projects Bynes has done during her career.

10

Big Fat Liar (2002)

As Kaylee

Big fat liar It wasn't a critical success when it was released, but comedies aimed at kids rarely are. The film was made when Amanda Bynes was leaving Nickelodeon for more teen content, making it a unique stepping stone in her career. Here, she gets to employ many of the comedic talents she did on Nickelodeon (like imitating others), but she's also the film's no-nonsense person.

As Kaylee, Bynes plays the best friend of Frankie Muniz's character. He is a habitual liar who can't seem to help himself, and she often gets involved in his schemes by covering for him. When his creative writing job is stolen by another habitual liar, who happens to be a Hollywood producer, Kaylee is the only person he can count on to help him prove it. They go on a Hollywood adventure to annoy the Hollywood heavyweight until he admits what he did.

While Muniz is the star of this film, Bynes is great in the supporting role. She manages to quietly pull him off the edge, show off her own skills, and play a role that's a little more mature than she did on Nickelodeon. It's the perfect transitional film for her.

9

All That (1996-2002)

Various characters

Why All of this gave Amanda Bynes her big break, it would be difficult to make a list of her best projects without including her. Fans have been looking at the show through a different lens with the release of the documentary Silence on the set: the dark side of children's TV. The documentary features interviews with former Nickelodeon stars as well as the writing team that paints a grim picture of the network's shows, including All of this.

Despite the dark cloud that may hang over the show right now, it's clear that Amanda Bynes was a bright spot during her time on the show. All of this was Nickelodeon's response to Saturday night livebut aimed at children. The series of comedy sketches featured a cast of children and teenagers, musical performances and pop culture messages. Bynes played several characters during her run on the show, and her time on the show led to her getting her own series on Nickelodeon.

8

What I Like About You (2002-2006)

As Holly Tyler

As a teenager, Bynes moved away from children's programming and Nickelodeon. She began to take on roles appropriate to her age, such as Holly in What I like about you.

The series begins with Holly trying to avoid moving to Japan with her father. When her father accepts a new job, she seeks out her older sister, Val (Jennie Garth), in an effort to stay in her beloved New York. Initially, she tries to pretend to be someone she is not so that Val will let her stay, but throughout the show the sisters grow closer.

The series is largely a coming-of-age story for Holly. Because of this, it allows Bynes to play with many of the big milestones of adolescence that her previous projects didn't.like falling in love for the first time, going to school dances and much more. Bynes also got the chance to play more dramatic stories rather than strictly comedy, as the sisters often had moments of emotional connection amidst all the jokes.

7

Sydney White (2007)

As Sydney White

After What I like about you In the end, Bynes also has a handful of teen comedies that help showcase her strengths as both a dramatic and comedic actress. Sydney White is one of those. It also happened to be a reinterpretation of the Snow White fairy tale set in modern day.

Filmed on location at Rollins College and the University of Central Florida in Florida, the film transplanted the story of Snow White, here renamed Sydney, to the college campus. Sydney (Bynes) initially goes to college with the intention of following in her mother's footsteps, specifically, pledging her sorority. When she doesn't fit in with the direction the sorority has taken, she is taken in by the "seven idiots" who live in a dilapidated old sorority house, and she makes new friends.

Although the film bombed at the box office, it's still a great portrayal of Bynes as the lead in a romantic comedy. She is charming and likable without becoming a stereotype in her comedic choices.

6

Robots (2005)

As Piper

In addition to her television and romantic comedy work, Bynes also made a brief foray into voice acting. She hasn't voiced many animated characters in her career, but played a robot in the 2005 film Robotsa role that is sometimes overlooked.

The aptly titled film is set in a world inhabited by robots. Although it primarily follows an inventor who discovers his dream job is something of a scam, Bynes' Piper is a supporting character in the film. Piper is the robot equivalent of a teenager. She even uses high-gloss spray paint to touch up its metallic shine like a human would use makeup. It's her relationship with her brother that dominates her character.

Piper is a very different role for Bynes, who had already shown herself talented in physical comedy from a young age. His expressive acting style is not seen here, but the audience can still hear his enthusiasm in his voice.

5

She's the Man (2006)

As Viola Johnson

She is the man is one of the few teen films that adapts a Shakespeare classic. In this case, it is Twelfth Nighta comedy about confused identity and love.

The film sees Bynes play Viola, a teenager looking to play football at the college level. When her school's girls' team is cut, she and her friends try out for the boys' team, but are turned down by the coach and players. Viola decides to disguise herself as her brother Sebastian, taking his place at boarding school when he asks her to fill in for him while he is in England with his band. Viola's cover includes playing football like her brother at school and befriending her roommate, who she develops feelings for.

Complications arise when the most popular girl in school falls in love with “Sebastian,” but Viola has a crush on Sebastian's roommate, who previously had feelings for the most popular girl in school. It's much more complicated than a typical love triangle, and the use of disguises makes it even funnier.

She is the man really shows how versatile Bynes is as an actor. She is impeccable in her physical comedy, her situational comedy and her most emotional moments in the film.

4

What a Girl Wants (2003)

As Daphne Reynolds

However What does a girl want features many comedic elements, it is one of Bynes's most dramatic films. It is also based on the 1955 play The reluctant debutantebecoming another of Bynes' comedies that was actually an adaptation of a property considered a classic.

The film follows Bynes as teenager Daphne, who discovers that her father is a British aristocrat. His mother was tricked into leaving him when she was pregnant with Daphne 17 years earlier. As Daphne seizes the opportunity to fly to meet him, her world is turned upside down by social rules she doesn't quite understand and the potential stepmother and stepsister she could end up with. As her father seeks political position, some of her mistakes reflect poorly on him, creating more conflict as the two try to get to know each other.

Although critics didn't find the film particularly compelling, it allowed Bynes' young fans, who grew up with her on Nickelodeon, to see her in a more mature role. It also allowed them to see her in a more emotional role, as Daphne has to deal with the weight of her parents' decisions while going through a tumultuous time in her life.

3

The Amanda Show (1999-2002)

Various characters

Just three years after Amanda Bynes first appeared on All of thisshe got her own headlining series on Nickelodeon. Amanda's show was a spin-off of All of this. Just like the original series, Amanda's show is also a sketch comedy series. The series is built around characters played by Amanda Bynes.

Amanda's show has a show-within-a-show format, as Bynes would speak directly to the camera as part of the show and the audience would be treated to “behind the scenes” elements that were actually sketches. Bynes appeared as the title character in recurring sketches such as “Judge Trudy,” which was a version of the reality show Judge Judy and “Moody’s Point,” which spoofed the teen drama Dawson Creek.

Although the show was abruptly canceled after three seasons when Bynes left Nickelodeon to pursue different roles, it's a great showcase of her talent. Bynes is in nearly every scene of the series, her face in the middle of every sketch, and this is the series that helped earn Bynes comparisons to Carol Burnett, Lucille Ball, and even Eddie Murphy.

2

Easy A (2010)

As Marianna

Another Bynes project inspired by another story is Easy A. Easy A is based on the classic literary book The Scarlet Letter. Emma Stone takes on the role of the persecuted woman here, although she is not a single mother or lives in a Puritan village.

Instead of, Easy A takes place in the modern day, when Olive (Stone) finds herself lying about her reputation when her best friend pressures her for information about a date. This lie turns into lies about other classmates' reputations in exchange for gift cards and other forms of payment. She is labeled as some kind of prostitute and her life begins to spiral. Part of this spiral is the result of Marianne (Bynes).

Marianne is a devout Christian, leading prayers and singing on the school campus. She tries to befriend Olive, thinking she can “save” her, but it doesn’t work. Marianne is played as an extreme devotee by Bynes. Her acting choices make Marianne a wide-eyed innocent and, at the same time, one of the most critical people in the film. She's a scene stealer throughout Easy A.

1

Hairspray (2007)

Like Penny Pingleton

Amanda Bynes had no history of appearing in musicals when she was cast Hairspray in 2007, so his casting may have come as a surprise to some. His comedic talents, however, suited Penny Pingleton perfectly.

The film is an adaptation of the Broadway musical, which in turn is an adaptation of a non-musical film. All three stories follow Tracy Turnblad as she becomes the first plus-size dancer on a Bandstand-type series in the 1960s and encourages racial integration. Penny is Tracy's best friend, the daughter of an extremely conservative and prejudiced woman. Many of Penny's interactions with her mother are amusing, although the behavior is considered abusive by modern standards.

Where Bynes shines in her scenes with Elijah Kelley, who played her love interest, Seaweed. The two have fantastic chemistry and Bynes nails her near-fainting attacks every time she gets close to her. She also nails her brief singing moments in the film, despite naysayers' doubts that she would be able to do the vocal work.

Hairspray it is easily Amanda Bynesthe best film. She manages to use all the comedic and dramatic skills learned in her youth in a great show. She also sings and dances, something she doesn't do in her other projects. It's probably one of the most intense projects for her, despite having played a supporting role.