Amanda Bynes Unfiltered: Why I’m Embracing Ozempic (and Paparazzi Angles)

If You Can’t Beat the Flashbulbs, Give Them Something To Talk About

I always thought there’d come a day where I could just pop to my local coffee shop in sweatpants, invisible to the world. Ha! That world doesn’t exist when you’ve been Amanda Bynes since you were thirteen. The rumor mill, the tabloids, the ceaseless click-click of paparazzi shutters—most folks barely survive an awkward yearbook photo. Me? My phases are archived on a thousand websites forever.

The Paparazzi Gauntlet (a.k.a. My Grocery Run)

Let’s be honest: I know my angles. (Full-on smile, no side profiles, and definitely not the surprise double-chin ambush between frozen peas and oat milk.) After a while, I started dreading those unflattering shots, the ones passed around with dissecting glee by strangers online. The pressure—the scrutiny over everything from last month’s hair roots to the odd curve beneath my sweats—lodged itself right between my morning coffee jitters and bedtime brain spiral.

This isn’t just about me. Ask literally any person who ever walked a Los Angeles sidewalk: There’s always a camera lurking, waiting for a “candid.”

The Big Reveal: Why I’m Going on Ozempic

I promised myself I’d stay open with my story—warts, wins, and weird TikTok trends included. So here it is: I’m starting Ozempic, that infamous med making the rounds in Hollywood circles (and beyond). My goal? I’m 173 pounds today. I want to get to 130. Not for a movie comeback or a tabloid spread—just for me. And, if I’m being painfully honest, because I want to scroll past my face online without cringing at my chin(s).

People have all the opinions—some shout “You look great!” while others type things I wouldn’t whisper to my worst enemy. But that’s the deal when you’re growing up on Nickelodeon and not-so-gracefully easing into adulthood on Instagram.

Wading Through the Noise

The Ozempic chatter is loud. Some say it’s “cheating,” others obsess over before-and-afters like it’s a sport. I’m not doing this to set an example or spark a movement. But maybe someone out there needs to hear me say: “It’s complicated.” Our bodies and our brains are works-in-progress, and sometimes, we grab the tools that work for us—even if those tools come with hashtags, opinions, and side-eye from strangers at Erewhon.

Fun fact: The average shelf-life of a ‘scandal’ is now shorter than my coffee order—and trust me, I’ve asked for some wild substitutions.

Staying Real (Even After the Scale Tips)

Will I hit my “goal” weight? Maybe. Maybe not. Will the world magically stop critiquing? Not a chance. But if sharing this latest twist in my journey helps even one other person feel less weird about their own struggles in the unforgiving glow of an iPhone flash, then it’s worth typing out these confessions one more time.

Still Amanda, Just a Bit Lighter (I Hope)

So, here we are. No bombshells—just a work-in-progress celeb, making choices, owning my headlines, and occasionally rolling my eyes when the camera finds me mid-bite on a breakfast sandwich. As for the Ozempic? Stay tuned. I’ll keep you posted, double chins and all.