Amanda Bynes' Awkward Interview May 'Trigger Another Spiral,' Friend Fears

Don’t hold your breath for that She’s the Man sequel just yet. On June 9, Amanda Bynes sat down for her first interview in four years, following a lengthy, public battle with drugs and mental health issues. Fans flipped as the former child star told Hollywood Scoop she wants to reboot her acting career, but many also noticed that her answers seemed stilted and rehearsed, and her overall demeanor sluggish. “Amanda’s still very fragile,” a source close to her confirms. “She’s desperate to get back into showbiz, but she doesn’t even leave the house without her life coach at this point.”

hanging by a thread

Indeed, when she grabbed coffee near her L.A. home last week, a tipster reports that the star looked drained and barely spoke a word — even to that ever-present coach, Joy Stevens. And though Amanda has been taking classes at the Fashion Institute for Design & Merchandising and helping out regularly at a local homeless shelter, sources say she often seems dazed on those outings.

“It’s great that she’s a functioning member of society again,” says the source, “but her friends fear that the return to the spotlight she so craves could trigger another spiral. She just doesn’t seem ready to handle a ton of public attention yet.” Hollywood execs may not be convinced, either. “Despite her big announcement, it’s unlikely she’ll end up getting cast right away,” the source says. “Amanda really needs to prove she’s capable of being back onscreen. And Joy will have to be there every step of the way.”