WH Photography / Splash NewsAmanda Bynes "seems like she's in a much better place" after years of legal and personal turmoil as she continues her studies, E! News has learned.
The 29-year-old former child star and She's the Man actress was spotted walking with a Starbucks iced tea while smoking a cigarette in Los Angeles Tuesday. Bynes sported a long, white sleeveless T-shirt, a pair of striped black Adidas leggings, sneakers, sunglasses and bleached blond hair, a style she's kept for about a year.
Bynes has been spotted in public sporadically over the years amid her turmoil and was last photographed in December. A source recently told E! News exclusively Bynes has been doing well during her recent quarter at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles.
"She keeps to herself, but she seems really healthy and focused on her schooling," the source said. "She seems like she's in a much better place and she looks great."
"No one really treats her any differently because she's Amanda Bynes," the source added. "You can tell she really just wants to be a normal student. Everyone at FIDM is really chill and respects her and her space."
Bynes faced driving and drug-related arrests, exhibited erratic behavior and unleashed a barrage of strange tweets before she was hospitalized on a 5150 psychiatric hold in 2013. She was later released to the care of her parents and continued her treatment. In 2014, her mother was granted conservatorship of the actress.
Later that year, months after she enrolled at FIDM, Bynes was arrested for a DUI, a case that was later dropped. Less than two weeks later, she was placed under another involuntary psychiatric hold. She later tweeted she had been diagnosed as bipolar and manic depressive. Bynes spent 20 days at a treatment facility before she was released to the care of her parents again. She returned to FIDM in 2015.
"We are all so proud of her," her attorney said at the time, "and can't wait to see her amazing designs on the runway someday."