The Comeback: Actress Amanda Bynes Celebrates Three Years of Sobriety

Amanda Bynes has known her share of struggles, both with mental health and addiction.

Today, she has stepped back into the spotlight in celebration of three years of sobriety and a potential return to the entertainment scene.

Appearing healthy and relaxed, Bynes sat down for an interview with blogger and talk show host Diana Madison of Hollyscoop this week. The interview was her first in four years, following an extremely public battle with mental health.

Most will remember Bynes’ starring roles on Nickelodeon, with her first as a preteen on the sketch comedy show All That. She went on to star in her own spinoff, The Amanda Show, which led to parts in blockbuster hits like What a Girl Wants, She’s the Man, and Easy A.

In 2010, Bynes announced her retirement from acting, not long after the release of Easy A. The sudden retirement led to media scrutiny; from there, her behavior grew increasingly erratic.

Throughout 2012, Bynes faced several charges for hit-and-run incidents and driving under the influence. Her Twitter account boasted bizarre messages aimed at her family, other celebrities, and even the President of the United States. Her posts included strange photos that revealed her changing appearance; at the time, she was just 26 years old.

In 2013, she was charged with drug possession. She was placed under an involuntary psychiatric hold following a series of events in 2014.

Since that time, Bynes has remained largely out of the spotlight. She emerged at one point to let the public know she had begun taking classes at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising—classes that she states she is still taking today.

Now three years sober, Bynes continues to fuel her passion for design, along with nurturing a hope to return to television.

“I’m going to start acting again,” she stated in the interview with Madison.

At a new stage in life, 31-year-old Bynes is moving toward a successful and healthy future—free from substance use and full of creative opportunities.