In the aftermath of the release of the streaming four-part docuseries "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV," which delved into the toxic environment of children's television in the 1990s and exposed the sexual abuse some young stars endured while on set, rumors resurfaced about former child star Amanda Bynes.
Bynes, known for her roles in late-'90s Nickelodeon show "All That" and the eponymous sketch-comedy series "The Amanda Show," has long been the subject of numerous social media discussions, gaining traction on platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Reddit. One prominent rumor was the unsubstantiated claim that Bynes was impregnated at age 13 by Dan Schneider, a former Nickelodeon writer and producer who has faced serious allegations of misconduct.
The rumors surrounding Bynes' unconfirmed teen pregnancy by Schneider stem from a private account on X (formerly Twitter) with the handle @PersianLa27 and operating under the name "Ashley Banks," which joined the social media platform in January 2014.
The poster on the Ashley Banks account had made a series of allegations about Bynes' past, writing in 2016, according to Distractify, "Can you imagine having an abortion at 13 because your boss impregnated you? Committed because your father touched you?"
While that post didn't name Schneider as the "boss" who supposedly impregnated Bynes, many commenters drew their own conclusions.
Snopes reached out to Schneider and his team for comment, but they did not immediately respond.
It's essential to note that even if the rumored underage pregnancy and abortion had occurred, significant challenges would be faced in verifying the medical information, given California's Minor Consent and Confidentiality Laws, unless Bynes — who now lives a relatively low-key life away from the spotlight — or someone close to her came forward with the details and irrefutable proof.
The Ashley Banks X account, believed by some to be secretly run by Bynes herself, purportedly discussed the abuse she suffered in Hollywood and while under the care of her parents, Lynn and Rick Bynes, who had her placed under a court-ordered conservatorship in 2013 at age 27, following a psychiatric hold after she reportedly set a fire on a neighbor's driveway. Bynes' conservatorship was terminated in March 2022.
In 2017, the Ashley Banks poster shared a photo of the former star's partial driver's license in an attempt to prove the person behind the account was Bynes. The account also alleged that Bynes' parents were running her official account on X, and they would have her again committed to a mental health facility if she did not comply with their directives.
(@LizCrokin/X)
However, the authenticity of the Ashley Banks X account has been called into question. While the profile picture used resembled Bynes, there is no definitive proof linking the account holder to the former actress.
Bynes announced her retirement from acting in 2010, posting this message to her now-inactive X account, per NBC News: "Being an actress isn't as fun as it may seem. If I don't love something anymore, I stop doing it. I don't love acting anymore, so I've stopped doing it. I know 24 is a young age to retire but you heard it here first."
Following her Hollywood retirement, Bynes faced a series of personal struggles, including legal issues related to substance abuse and mental health challenges that resulted in her hospitalization.
Notably, in 2012, Bynes' driver's license was suspended after her arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence and a hit-and-run. Later that year, she was involved in another hit-and-run incident. A short time after those incidents, her car was impounded after she was pulled over for driving on a suspended license. Despite her legal challenges, Bynes regained her driver's license in 2014.
Now aged 37, Bynes has not been active on her official X account since September 2019, and she rarely posts on Instagram.
While rumors surrounding Bynes' alleged teen pregnancy and involvement with Schneider persist on social media, there is no concrete evidence to support these claims. After a number of allegations came to light about Schneider's behavior while on set, the children's cable TV channel severed ties with him in 2018. The purported evidence from the Ashley Banks X account lacks credibility, and Bynes' legal and personal struggles as she retreated from the spotlight further complicate the narrative.