J-14 Interview - 14 Questions for Amanda Bynes

august 2004

1. Do you feel you're more mature now that you're 18?
Not really. I just turned 18 and I can definitely be mature when I want to be. But then I'm very immature when I haven't made my bed in four days or I'm walking around all day in my pajamas. I wish I could say I was more mature, but I'm not.     

2. Was there anything you had difficulty going through as a teen?
I had bad acne when I was 14 and I had to continue working, putting makeup on and having lights on me. It was one of the harder times of my life because I didn't want to go out and would just sit home on the computer. I was so self conscious about it. I made it out to be something bigger than it was. But I was traumatized. Eventually my doctor prescribed Accutane and my skin cleared up. It really changed my life. What I would tell people who have the same problem is that you'll get through it and it'll make you a stronger person. I did.   

3. How do you avoid the drama that comes with the industry?
I'm a good person, and I don't want to undermine anyone. I don't want to make anyone look stupid. I don't talk badly about people. I just try to be a nice girl and that's the best way to stay out of it. Some people have such big egos that they have to knock people down to get ahead. And I'm just who I am, and I'm a person who's very lucky. But my life is my family and not my job. If it ever got too crazy I'd be like, "Okay, I'm checkin' out now."

4. Can you give us a sneak peek at your private life? What do you do in your downtime?
I'm pretty boring. I go to The Home Depot with my dad. When I'm not doing anything I like to just sit around an watch TV. I love the VH1 shows. I'll go shopping. I'm furthering my shopping addiction. I love shoes and there's all sorts of pretty bags. And I love clothes. I like bright colors...I'm into turquoise and red.           

5. What trend are you really feeling right now?
I like charm bracelets. I think that they're really in. My mom just got me one for my birthday, and each charm on it represents something about me. My nickname is Chickie, so there's a little chick on it. She knows I love sunglasses, so there's a sunglasses charm. There's a rainbow because I've always loved rainbows. A little cupcake with crystal because I like to cook, and a sandal with rhinestones because I love rhinestones.

6. What do you like to cook? Are you any good?
I wouldn't say I'm good. I enjoy what I make. Whatever I make, I make sure I eat it. My mom and I make the best apple pie in the world. I make a really good chicken vegetable stir-fry that I enjoy. I need to take classes to further my cooking career.

7. What's your guilty pleasure?

I love reality shows, but I don't feel guilty about it. I was very upset with the "Adam Returns" finale. I decided I didn't like him anymore. These girls were really beautiful and genuinely in love with him or falling in love with him, and he did the exact same thing the other girl did to him. My whole family was upset by it. My sister even called from college to complain.

8. What's your favorite chick flick?
I love "Clueless"! That was one of my favorite movies of all time. When that came out, I was fairly young. There's something about watching a movie about female empowerment. I think "Legally Blonde" did that too, because that was a fun way to feel good about being a girl. I like that feeling.

9. What would we find if we dumped out your handbag right now?
Definitely ChapStick. I'm addicted to it. I like the vanilla flavor. Probably concealer. Definitely an eyelash curler, mascara, sunglasses, a wallet, a little plastic photo album -- and my iPod, with songs like Usher's "Yeah", Blink-182's "I Miss You", Beyonce. I kind of like old songs like "Roxanne" by the Police and TLC's "Waterfalls".

10. What is the weirdest beauty ritual you've ever tried?
My grandma is a big believer in egg yolks, and she would be like, "Here, put this on your face." There was all cracked egg and it was disgusting. I did it once, and I was like, "That's great for you, Grandma, but I will never do that again." I enjoy eating them fried up, not slathering them raw on my face.

11. What type of girlfriend are you?
I think I'm fun, laid-back, hopefully a good one. I don't want to think too highly of myself, but hopefully, yeah.

12. What are three things you love and three things you hate?
I love dogs because they make such good companions and I could never live without a dog. I love shoes. And I love rhinestones and sparkles. I have when cell phones break up. It's so annoying to have to keep calling back. I hate dog hair. I don't like cottage cheese because it's all lumpy.

13. What's the most memorable phone call you've ever received?
I was in love with Jason Bateman when I was like 13. His mom used to do my hair on "The Amanda Show", and she knew how much I liked him. He came by a couple of times to see his mom, and once he called me on his birthday! I was just thrilled about it. Yeah, it was pretty much my favorite birthday present.

14. Have you ever been starstruck?
Oh my gosh, yeah! I saw Jennifer Aniston applying lip gloss with a little mirror on the Warner Bros. lot -- the "Friends" stage was directly across from us. I was sort of gawking, and my friend had to nudge me..