>>> Welcome back to "Access Live"
take a look at Amanda Bynes.
Looks healthy and happy.
That's on the cover of "Paper"
magazine.
>> She is talking about the
breakdown that forced her to
step away from the public eye.
She said it's a journey to get
sober.
>> Quite a comeback.
Joining us from New York is the
woman that sat down with Amanda
for the interview.
Abby shriver.
Tell us how the interview came
about in the first place.
>> Well, we were thinking a lot
about who we wanted to feature
on the annual break the internet
issue and having conversations
we thought to ourselves, you
know, so many conversations
going on in the country and the
world about the internet and not
just all the benefits we get
from it but all of the
downsides, too.
We started to think more about,
you know, people whose lives
have really been impacted by
social media for the better or
the worse and we turned to
Amanda because she was one of
the first people in the public
eye whose struggles and
challenges were really captured
almost in realtime on social
media and Twitter, of course.
And, you know, many members of
our team including myself are
around her age and are peers who
remember growing up watching her
and remain fans of hers so we
wanted to check in and see how
she was doing and what her
journey is like today.
So it was a lot of little
threads that came together in
the end.
>> Abby, what convincing did it
take?
Did you have to convince her to
do this?
>> You know, actually, it was
pretty remarkable because when
we first reached out we had no
idea whether she would be open
to working with us on a story or
ready to enter the spotlight
again or share her story.
But, you know, I have to give a
little plug to our team at the
paper.
She turns out was a reader and
fan of the publication and so
from the beginning it was very
collaborative process and
wonderful to work with her and
tell her story.
>> You talk about the image that
we all had of her, a good girl
image for such a long time.
I imagine that was probably
something that she was battling
against very early on in her
career as a -- also as a
teenager.
Did she talk about what it was
like for her as a young actress
having to battle that image that
was portrayed in the media about
her being this quintessential
good girl?
>> You know, she didn't actually
get into too many specifics
about the pressures she may or
may not have felt as far as an
image goes and she did say, you
know, she never really
especially as a teenager was
that interested in hitting the
Hollywood party scene so much.
But that being said, she was
still a teenager, experimenting
and making friends and trying
new things the way many of us
may have done back when we were
16.
So I think it was later that she
said that her relationship with
the night life scene and issues
with substances, you know,
evolved.
But it didn't sound like she had
too much of a conflict at a
young age.
If anything, she was sort of
bemused she was given a good
girl reputation and in fact, you
know, more than being good or
bad she was just a regular
teenager and I think that's the
most important thing, that
Hollywood and the media often
likes to create narratives or
labels about young stars,
especially young women.
But for the most part, you know,
famous or not, we are all just
people trying to find our way
and try new things and so was
Amanda.
>> For her, she did blame
everything that happened with
the drug use, right?
It all started with marijuana
and then experimented with other
things.
Now four years sober.
>> Right.
Yeah, yeah.
She has had a remarkable journey
and one of the really impactful
things about our conversation
was how self aware she is and
she looks back at that time and,
you know, was open about having
some regrets and feeling very
sorry about the way her behavior
may have caused pain to others
but she -- she is really come a
long, long way.
In the last several years.
And can talk about some of those
experiences with a real mixture
of grace, sorrow sometimes,
humor in other moments and
remarkable to hear her describe
her experience.
>> Who's her support system now?
Who does she go to and relate
to?
>> Well, she was candid about
having really shrunk her circle.
She said at one point, you know,
she was looking for quality over
quantity and it's clear she has
a wonderful community and
support system at her school,
the fashion institute of disease
and merchandising in los
Angeles.
I had the chance to meet some of
her advisers and head of the
school and it is clear they have
a wonderful Rapaport.
>> Mom and dad?
>> And mom and dad, yes.
Sounds like she has a really
close knit, great relationship
with her parents and older
siblings and made some really
wonderful friendships.
>> Before you go, she is wanting
to get back into acting.
Not retired completely.
>> Could this be the comeback?
>> I think so.
You heard it here first, but
yes.
I think so.
She said she's approaching wit
an open mind to be open and
excited about all types of
projects, drama, comedy, TV,
film.
I think there's exciting things
ahead for her.
>> Have you talked to her since
quickly.
They're playing music on this.
>> E-mails, yes.
We have been talking a little
bit about the story and, you
know, I hope that this is a
friendship that will continue.
>> And your interview is --
broke did internet.
Job well done.
>> Thank you.
>> Good to see her comeback.