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Los Angeles: At the same time that a certain Paris Hilton was making news behind bars in Lynwood, Los Angeles, another starlet was making the rounds not too far away in Beverly Hills.
Young, pretty and with her stock fast rising in the fame stakes, Amanda Bynes was not club-hopping, though. She was moving from one set of journalists to the next, to talk about her latest film, Hairspray. And she was hard at work to assure that she is not that kind of girl.
The kind like Lindsay Lohan - in and out of rehabilitation stints - although, like the latter, Bynes is 21, with several films under her belt, including She's The Man last year and What A Girl Wants in 2003.
The kind like Britney Spears - in and out of either rehab or a wig - although, like the former Disney child star, Bynes got her start on cable with Nickelodeon, and was the youngest performer to host her own variety sketch show, The Amanda Show.
So, how is the actress so sure she is not going to crash and burn?
The first time the question is asked, she paused. "I wonder if someone knew how not to. Obviously, that's not my goal, but maybe that wasn't their goal. So, who knows what happens along the way."
She gathered her breath, and the words kept tumbling out.
"I think it has (to do with) drugs and alcohol ... (They) will make you crazy or a different person. So, who (Lindsay and Spears) were then might not be the same person now."
This clean-living girl not only keeps off the drugs, but also the booze. "I don't need it. I'm very energetic. If I have a few diet cokes, I have enough caffeine in me for a club. And it's all I need. I don't want any alcohol in it because it tastes bad, and I'd rather have dessert for the calories."
The chuckles sounded but she was not yet left off the hook. Fame is not an easy beast to tame, she is told. But for Bynes, it has always been about the work, and that is where she hopes she will get the recognition.
She said: "If I go to a club, it's kind of awkward for me, because I'm not famous for that. I'm famous for working on different things. I've been working since I was 10... I'm used to work, and I'm tired at the end of the day. Going out to clubs is fun, but that's more of a once-in-a-while thing, as opposed to every night of the week."
To co-star Brittany Snow, also 21 and another emerging name among a stellar bunch of young performers in the film, the media has been partly responsible for the misadventures of Lohan and Spears.
"I wish more people would be willing to help and stay out of their way. The media and the world right now are so fascinated with people on a downfall, and it doesn't help," said Snow, who was last seen in the film John Tucker Must Die (2006) - her first leading film role - and has credits in a few TV series, most notably Nip/Tuck.
"If people aren't willing to give them that, they're never going to step outside the box they're living in. But people have come out of it before, and these are strong girls."
For herself, she believes that her family, friends and the right influences will help keep her on an even keel.
"It's a little bit of luck, too. I think I'm different in the way of what I want in my career - to be an actress and not necessarily a celebrity. It's a lot easier to stay out of trouble when you want to go to work the next day because you're very passionate about that," she said.
It is a point that Bynes also drove home, as she declared that she had gone to bed at 10pm the night before. "I want to stay focused and keep my eye on the prize: Being an actress," said the Californian.
That is one of the reasons why she decided to take on the role of schoolgirl Penny Pingleton, best friend to central character Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) in Hairspray, after almost passing up the audition to her sister Jillian.
"I came in, I did it, and I started really getting into it because I really liked the message of this movie," said Bynes, whose character forms a relationship with an African-American schoolmate at a time when racial segregation was a big issue in 1960's America.
As a big believer in the impact films can have on people, she prefers to focus on how star power can be harnessed positively instead.
"That's why I think it's important that Angelina Jolie is adopting kids from other countries because it shows that there are kids who don't have homes. It brings an awareness because she's so famous. It's nice to see people who have good causes," she said, even before the Hilton/Lohan/Spears triumvirate was mentioned.
Incidentally, Snow, who plays Amber Von Tussle, one half of the villainous mother-and-daughter pairing with Michelle Pfeiffer in Hairspray, is one such person with a cause. She works with the Jed Foundation in the US to help youths with mental health issues such as suicidal tendencies, depression and eating disorders.
Right now, Bynes and Snow are intent on keeping their rising stock on a steady course.
With Snow set to feature as the title role in the independent film Finding Amanda opposite Matthew Broderick, as well as the lead role in the Screen Gems film Prom Night - both to be released next year - she is on her way to building some cred.
Bynes, too, will star in another film opening later this year, Sydney White, a retelling of Snow White set in an American college. No second guesses for who plays the modern Snow White.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world is waiting to see if two more of Hollywood's latest young talents can avoid the poisoned apple the other promising young women could not. - TODAY/ym
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