• Britney Spears
• Mandy Moore
• Schuyler Fisk
• Shane West
• Sisqo
• Beauty&Beast Actors
• Jim Carrey
• Harry Potter Actors
• Cast of Ocean's 11
• The voices of Monsters Inc.
• Drew Barrymore
• Joey Fatone
• Lance Bass/Emanuelle Chriqui
• Max Keeble and Friends
• Jennifer Aniston
• Leelee Sobieski
• Reese Witherspoon
• Ming-Na
• Haley Joel Osment
• Sean Hayes(Mr. Tinkles)
• Kirsten Dunst
• Eddie Murphy
• Kerry Washington Julianne Moore
• The Ladies of Atlantis
• Cameron Diaz
• Shannyn Sossamon
• Heath Ledger
• Backstreet Boys
• Leonardo DiCaprio
• Celine Dion
• Hanson
• Enrique Iglesias
• Sarah McLachla and Lilith Fair
• 'N'Sync
• Will Smith
  • Wild Wild West
  • Bagger Vance
• Spice Girls
• Britney Spears
• Justin Timberlake
• Oprah Winfrey
• Youngstown

Updated 2/16/02

We're Hangin' With....

AMANDA BYNES

Shooting for the Moon!

"Almost" 16-year-old actress Amanda Bynes is in the third season of her own variety sketch show "The Amanda Show" on Nickelodeon. From the age of 10 she was a cast member on Nick's "All That" and was discovered doing stand up comedy in Los Angeles. Amanda won the Kid's Choice Award for favorite TV Actress in 2000 and 2001. Now, she's aiming at the big screen with her first starring film role as Frankie Muniz's gal pal in the comedy Big Fat Liar. When we spoke with her, she looked very much the teen glamour girl in a cute, sparkle spandex top and white miniskirt. The well-spoken young actress made it clear that she's only just begun to make an impression on Tinseltown. She has big plans.

AGW: You do great impressions. You did one in the film of the wacky receptionist. How does that process work?

Amanda: In the script they said I would have to duplicate her voice. I thought, if her voice isn't something so distinct that has an accent, how will I be able to recreate it. But she did have a sort of ringing to it so I tried and I talked to her a lot and asked her 'how do you pronounce this word?' We worked together.

AGW: People say that you are like a young Tracey Ullman who does such great characters.

Amanda: That's such a compliment. I'm a big fan of her work. I was actually nominated against her at one point (a cable "Ace" award). That was very odd. Sometimes it's like 'oh I don't deserve that'. It's just something I've always done and it's fun for me. I'm just grateful to have an outlet for it.

AGW: Have you always liked entertaining people?

Amanda: Definitely, ever since I was young I've watched people and listened. I guess I have a good ear because I like music and can usually remember the words and tunes. It's been something I've always wanted to do.

AGW: You do skits on your show. Can you see yourself hosting Saturday Night Live?

Amanda: I'd love to do that. Don't know if I'd want to be a cast member on it though because I'd like to do movies and have a career like Cameron Diaz but I think it would be fun for me to make fun of myself on Saturday Night Live.

AGW: Writer Dan Schneider told us that your part was originally written as a guy but then he created the role for you.

Amanda: Dan has been such a big part of my life so I remember when he was writing this five years ago. It was called "Lost and Found" then. I was hanging out in his office. He said he named one of the characters after me but I had no idea that, one day, I would be in the movie. He said they were looking at Frankie and I'm such a big fan of Frankie. I love "Malcolm in the Middle". So it kept getting better and better. I'm the type of person where I tend not to get excited until right before because I don't want to be devastated if it doesn't happen so I just figured if it was gonna happen it would. Now I'm here!

AGW: How is the chemistry between you and Frankie Muniz?

Amanda: Don't know. Guess it's fine. I mean we're friends. He's a great guy. We had lots of fun. It was my first movie so he helped me make sure I was comfortable and never felt overwhelmed.

AGW: How do you stay grounded..keep a level head?

Amanda: I think my parents are a big part of that because I'm still a normal kid. Like there are times I get frustrated because I want to wear certain shoes and they don't want me to wear them. It's all good in the end because I realize that there will be a time and place for high shoes.

AGW: Do you have the usual teenage problems?

Amanda: I'm sure every teenager does. I'd be lying if I said I didn't. I am human and there are times with conflicts with anyone close to you. They say you take advantage of the ones you love. But, just because of my age, I want to do things they aren't ready for me to do yet.

AGW: Is there a big pressure in Hollywood on young girls to grow up quickly?

Amanda: Definitely. I wouldn't want to stay 10 forever. You have to grow older gracefully. A lot of girls, what they do is they try and show their stomach and stuff. They think that's the only way. It's always better to have a bit of mystery. A lot of girls just give it all away. It's important to respect yourself and other women. You have to be confident in yourself. A lot of girls are so insecure that they think the only way people will like them is if they look a certain way, the superficial side.

AGW: For you, what would be the coolest thing to do on the ideal date?

Amanda: Go to Disneyland!

AGW: Is there someone you would really like to work with?

Amanda: Cameron Diaz or Jim Carrey or Martin Short or Will Smith. So many. I've met Will Smith and met Martin Short because I was on his show. I met Kirsten Dunst and actually talked to her for a few minutes. I'd like to get to know them someday.

AGW: Did you grow up in L.A.?

Amanda: Yes. I've never moved. It's been great. I know so many people who have to move a plane ride away from their family. I've always been within an hour drive.

AGW: What do you do about school?

Amanda: I have a tutor on the set but I go to regular school. It would be weird for me not to. I'm a social person and I'd go crazy if I couldn't be near my friends. I've known them all for a really long time. Our friendship isn't based on (me being an actress). I do a good job differentiating between the phony and the true.

AGW: What kind of music are you into?

Amanda: I'm into hip-hop, pop, rock, R&B. All sorts.

AGW: What's next for you?

Amanda: A new series on the WB. That's the main thing now. All I know about the character is that I'm going to live with my older sister in New York. They're still working on the pilot.

AGW: Do you have other family in entertainment?

Amanda: No. My brother's a chiropractor and my sister is in school. They've always been so supportive. It's kind of been a gradual thing and both are really talented. My brother was in community theater. I'm really lucky. He's 28 and my sister is 19.

AGW: Would you do what your character Kaylee does in the film? Run off to Hollywood at a moment's notice to help a friend?

Amanda: I would do it if it was one of my close friends and they needed me, definitely. I'd say I was adventurous. I always say when I'm say driving with my grandma and we get lost, 'Oh, it's an adventure'. I don't let things get to me even if we've gone like three hours out of the way.

AGW: What would be your dream role?

Amanda: Maybe something like "Princess Bride" which is a fantasy and love story. Lots of things.

AGW: What were the best and worse parts of being a young actress?

Amanda: The obvious good things are going to fun places and getting to travel and meeting new people, experiencing new things. The downside is not always being able to be home. If I do a lot more of this, it'll be hard to be away from my family and friends.

AGW: What differences did you experience in shooting you t.v. show and doing this film?

Amanda: The only difference, with t.v. you rehearse every day and film on Thursday and Friday. With a movie, you rehearse a little and film it and whether you like it or not that's what it is and move on to the next scene? I like them both. I love theater too. I haven't done it since I was 10 or 12 . I did "To Kill a Mockingbird", "The Secret Garden", "Music Man", "Sound of Music". That has sculpted who I am as an actress too. It's very important.

AGW: Do people realize that you aren't a kid actor anymore?

Amanda: Since I was doing Nickelodeon for a long time (they might not). But now that I'm doing a movie, becoming more mainstream, I think people are taking more notice of me. They say 'Oh, you're a newcomer' but I've actually been here since I was 7.

AGW: What advice would you have for young people who want to act?

Amanda: Just to do theater and if it's really what you want to do, stay passionate and don't give up. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it.

AGW: Have you done your first on-screen kiss yet?

Amanda: I have. His name was Matthew and it was on my show. It's a funny story because my parents wanted to see it and I'm like 'I don't think so'. They wouldn't see it if it was off -camera so they're not allowed. But they saw it anyway. The make-up ladies brought over Altoids in case of bad breath.

AGW: What are some of your future plans?

Amanda: I hope to be an actress, have a career in movies and t.v. I've always wanted to be a movie star like Julia Roberts. Hey, shoot high..shoot for the moon.