This Former Child Star Sparks Online Buzz After Appearing in TikTok Video at 39

The former child star started at an early age on "All That" and "The Amanda Show" on Nickelodeon, and transitioned into stardom as a young adult on "What I Like About You" and movies such as "Hairspray."

A familiar face from early 2000s TV recently resurfaced on TikTok, and viewers were quick to weigh in. At 39, the former child star shared a candid update, but it was her appearance that stirred a wave of nostalgia, surprise, and strong emotions among fans.

Amanda Bynes, known for her standout roles on Nickelodeon and in teen comedies like "She's the Man," posted a rare video on May 18. In it, she revealed a matching tattoo she got with her longtime friend.

"My best friend Dylan and I have been best friends for 10 years and to mark our best friend anniversary, we got matching Roman numeral Xs for the number 10," she shared. Bynes noted that hers was placed on her finger while Dylan's was inked on his rib cage.

The former child star also shared a small but meaningful update about her appearance. "I finally grew my bangs out. I'm so excited right now. Oh my god, I can't believe it," she told her followers.

Bynes appeared in the video, which has garnered over 16 million views, with long blonde hair, dark eye makeup, a nose piercing, and her signature heart tattoo on her cheek. Before signing off, she added warmly, "That is all. Hope everybody is having a good night. Bye."

But while her message was lighthearted, the internet had a lot to say about her transformation. One fan couldn't hide their shock, writing, "Why did she do that to her eyebrows." Another person with similar views, penned, "I'm truly devastated to see what's happened to her eyebrows."

An individual was quick to express confusion, "That doesn't look like Amanda Bynes." Disbelief continued with one viewer remarking, "Doesn't look like the same person 😳." Another person simply stated, "She's unrecognizable."

Someone else was stunned by the transformation, commenting, "I actually can't believe she looks like this now." Another person fixated on what has changed over the years, noting, "Her eyes have lost the sparkle she used to exude."

One fan grew emotional, admitting, "My heart breaks for her. Truly. I cannot imagine being a child actor. Most of them end up having a lot of issues. 😢 I hope she finds the healing ❤️‍🩹 she needs."

A supportive voice shared, "Her movies are still some of my favorites ! I wish her well and hope with all my heart that she is happy and loved 💔."

Bynes had stepped out of the spotlight for a while due to her struggles with mental health and addiction. In a 2018 interview, she candidly discussed her experiences with addiction and mental health challenges, which eventually led to her mother, Lynn, being appointed her conservator in 2014.

She shared that she began using marijuana at age 16 despite having a "good girl" image. While she didn't initially consider it a problem, her drug use later escalated to include ecstasy, molly, and frequent abuse of Adderall, which she said she began taking after reading about it being used for weight loss.

Her self-image also took a hit during this time. After filming "She's the Man," Bynes said she fell into a months-long depression triggered by how she looked on screen dressed as a boy. A similar reaction came after watching "Easy A," which led her to abruptly quit acting.

"I saw it and I was convinced that I should never be on camera again and I officially retired on Twitter, which was, you know, also stupid. If I was going to retire [the right way], I should've done it in a press statement — but I did it on Twitter. Real classy!" she recalled.

Though she later recognized the decision was made impulsively—"I was high and I was like, 'You know what? I am so over this'"—she admitted that leaving acting left her feeling lost and without purpose.

Without work to ground her, she spent much of her time getting high, which, in her own words, "really messed up my brain." "I just had no purpose in life. I'd been working my whole life and [now] I was doing nothing. I had a lot of time on my hands and I would 'wake and bake' and literally be stoned all day long," Bynes shared.

After being sober for nearly four years, she reflected on how substance use changed her personality and warned others to be cautious, acknowledging the impact it had on her life and relationships.

Bynes' mental health journey also came to light in 2020, when her lawyer, David Esquibias, confirmed she was receiving treatment and emphasized that her challenges were not related to substance abuse. He urged the public to avoid speculation so she could focus fully on recovery.

At the time, sources close to the actress said she had been living in a sober living facility before checking into a treatment center for ongoing care. In June 2019, following her graduation from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, her friend said she was granted a brief pass to attend the ceremony before returning to the facility.

Sobriety hasn't been a straightforward path either for Bynes. After being sober for nearly four years by 2018, she marked 14 months of sobriety again in March 2020, sharing photos with friends to celebrate the milestone. The challenges of returning to the public eye had led her to re-enter treatment in early 2019.

Bynes made significant progress in her sobriety and mental health journey, and in 2022, a judge officially terminated her nearly nine-year conservatorship. Judge Roger L. Lund said the arrangement was no longer necessary, "She has done everything the court has asked."

After the ruling, Bynes shared her appreciation in a statement via her lawyer, Esquibias, "Following today's decision by the judge to terminate my conservatorship, I would like to thank my fans for their love and well wishes during this time." She also acknowledged the support of her legal team and her parents over the years.

"In the last several years, I have been working hard to improve my health so that I can live and work independently," she added, emphasizing that she would "continue to prioritize [her] well-being in this next chapter." Bynes said she was looking forward to "upcoming endeavors — including [her] fragrance line" and would share more in the future.

Now, having graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in 2019, according to her Instagram, Bynes has turned her attention to beauty-related projects. She also launched an OnlyFans account, signaling her interest in exploring new avenues of creative expression.