Amanda Bynes: actress’ conservatorship terminated - why did she have one and who is fiance Paul Michael?

The decision comes months after pop superstar Britney Spears was freed from her controversial conservatorship
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She’s the Man and Hairspray star Amanda Bynes has had her conservatorship officially terminated after having one put in place back in 2013.

The move comes after Britney Spears controversial conservatorship of nearly 14 years was lifted at the end of last year.

This is everything you need to know.

Who is Amanda Bynes?

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Amanda Bynes is an American actress, best known for her appearances in a number of popular films and TV shows in the 1990s and 2000s.

She was born in Thousand Oaks, California, on 3 April 1986 to parents Rick and Lynn, the youngest of three.

Bynes kicked off her on screen career as a child, appearing in the Nickelodeon sketch comedy show All That, which then led to her own spin-off series called The Amanda Show.

Amanda Bynes at the 2011 MTV Movie Awards (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)Amanda Bynes at the 2011 MTV Movie Awards (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Amanda Bynes at the 2011 MTV Movie Awards (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

From there she made her big screen debut in 2002 two in Big Fat Liar, starring opposite Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle, Agent Cody Banks). Bynes received a Kids’ Choice Award for her performance and later that year she bagged a recurring role in the sitcom What I Like About You.

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In 2003, she appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair’s July edition and in 2006, she was named by Teen People as one of the “25 Hottest Stars Under 25”.

It was in 2006 that Bynes starred in what might be her best known role in career - the sport comedy film She’s the Man which was based on William Shakepeare’s play Twelfth Night.

Off the back of She’s the Man, Bynes starred in Hairspray as Penny Pingleton for which she won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Acting Ensemble and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Bynes also featured on the soundtrack of the musical film, which was later nominated for a Grammy Award.

Amanda Bynes at the premiere Of Walt Disney Pictures’ Race To Witch Mountain on 11 March 2009 (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Amanda Bynes at the premiere Of Walt Disney Pictures’ Race To Witch Mountain on 11 March 2009 (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Amanda Bynes at the premiere Of Walt Disney Pictures’ Race To Witch Mountain on 11 March 2009 (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Finally, in 2010, Bynes starred in Easy A with Emma Stone (La La Land, Birdman). Other films and TV shows you might recognise her from include What a Girl Wants (2003), Robots (2005), Love Wrecked (2005), Sydney White (2007 and Rugrats (2001-2002).

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Outside of acting, Bynes has an interest in fashion and in 2013, she enrolled into the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, and in 2018 she gained her Associate’s of Art degree in Merchandise Product Development. In 2019, she graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.

Bynes announced her engagement to boyfriend Paul Michael, whom she met at a sober living home in late 2019.

Why did she have a conservatorship?

Bynes’ conservatorship was implemented following a string of mental health and substance abuse issues.

In 2012, she was charged with driving under the influence and two years later, the charge was dropped and she was given a three-year probation.

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In 2013, Bynes was also charged with reckless endangerment and cannabis possession. When officers entered her apartment, Bynes allegedly threw a bong out of the window - the case against her was dismissed by a New York County judge in 2014.

Bynes’ parents filed for temporary conservatorship in 2013, after she was placed under a 72 hour mental-health evaluation hold, after she was detained for allegedly starting a small fire in the driveway of a stranger’s house in Thousand Oaks.

Amanda Bynes and attorney Gerald Shargel appear at Manhattan Criminal Court on  9 July 2013, when Bynes faced charges of reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and criminal possession of marijuana in relation to her arrest on 23 May 2013 (Photo: Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)Amanda Bynes and attorney Gerald Shargel appear at Manhattan Criminal Court on  9 July 2013, when Bynes faced charges of reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and criminal possession of marijuana in relation to her arrest on 23 May 2013 (Photo: Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)
Amanda Bynes and attorney Gerald Shargel appear at Manhattan Criminal Court on 9 July 2013, when Bynes faced charges of reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and criminal possession of marijuana in relation to her arrest on 23 May 2013 (Photo: Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)

A few months later, Bynes’ mother was awarded temporary conservatorship over her daughter’s affairs.

In October 2014, Bynes took to Twitter to accuse her father of emotional and sexual abuse. When her parents denied these claims, Bynes said that “the microchip in my brain made me say those things but he’s the one that ordered them to microchip me”.

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Shortly thereafter, Bynes’ mother was granted a permanent conservatorship. It was soon afterwards that Bynes announced that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

In 2018, Bynes opened up about her private life and problems with drug use in a candid interview with Paper Magazine.

Bynes addressed her behaviour on Twitter in the profile, in which she said: “I’m really ashamed and embarrassed with the things I said. I can’t turn back time but if I could, I would.

“And I’m so sorry to whoever I hurt and whoever I lied about because it truly eats away at me. It makes me feel so horrible and sick to my stomach and sad.

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“Everything I worked my whole life to achieve, I kind of ruined it all through Twitter. It’s definitely not Twitter’s fault - it’s my own fault.”

Amanda Bynes’ mugshot after she was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol (Photo: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images)Amanda Bynes’ mugshot after she was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol (Photo: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images)
Amanda Bynes’ mugshot after she was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol (Photo: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images)

In the interview, she also said that she began smoking cannabis at 16 which led to trying harder drugs.

She said: “Later on it progressed to doing molly and ecstasy. [I tried] cocaine three times but I never got high from cocaine. I never liked it. It was never my drug of choice.”

She added that she “definitely abused Adderall”.

Bynes filed the move to end her conservatorship in February 2022 and since then had moved in with her fiance.

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Talking to People prior to the hearing, Bynes’ lawyer David A Esquibias said in February that Bynes “believes her condition is improved and protection of the court is no longer necessary”.

What did the judge say?

On Tuesday (22 March), Judge Roger L Lund said that Bynes’ conservatorship “is no longer needed or required” and that she “has done everything the court has asked over a long period of time”.

The judge congratulated Bynes, who was not present in court, and wished her “good luck”.

In a document issued on Monday (21 March), Lund wrote: “The court intends to grant the petition for termination and order of the conservatorship of the person of Amanda Bynes to be terminated.”

What did Amanda Bynes say after the decision was made?

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In a statement shared with People via her lawyer Esquibias, Bynes said: “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.

“I would also like to thank my lawyer and my parents for their support over the last nine years.

After the announcement was made, Amanda Bynes thanked her fans for all their support (Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images for BWR)After the announcement was made, Amanda Bynes thanked her fans for all their support (Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images for BWR)
After the announcement was made, Amanda Bynes thanked her fans for all their support (Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images for BWR)

“In the last several years, I have been working hard to improve my health so that I can live and work independently, and I will continue to prioritise my well-being in this next chapter.

“I am excited about my upcoming endeavours - including my fragrance line - and look forward to sharing more when I can.”

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