Amanda Bynes announces engagement to ‘lover’ on Instagram

After a rocky few years, Amanda Bynes has announced her engagement to a mystery man she reportedly met in rehab.

Amanda Bynes has shared a photo of her new boyfriend, who is now her fiance after news of their engagement was announced at the weekend.

The former child star shared a photo to her Instagram page of her huge engagement ring with the caption, “Engaged to the love of my life”.

A mystery man’s hand was also in the shot.

The 33-year-old followed up the announcement with a photo of her mystery beau with the caption “Lover”. The Blast reports his name is Paul Michael.

The publication says the pair have been dating for two to three months after meeting in rehab.

Michael is said to be in his 20s and is from Los Angeles, where his father is a well-respected doctor.

Given Bynes’ rocky few years and bizarre social media behaviour, fans were quick to speculate whether the announcement was legit. But according to sources who spoke to People, the engagement is a sure thing.

“She seems happy,” a source said.

Bynes, who debuted a love heart face tattoo in December, is still under the guardianship of her parents, meaning she won’t be able to get married unless a judge signs off on it.

Bynes, who hasn’t appeared in a movie since romantic comedy Easy A a decade ago, returned to social media in July after a one-year hiatus, marking her graduation from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.

The former “It” girl’ has been on a tumultuous journey to find her purpose since suffering a breakdown in the early 2010s.

Bynes’ mugshot after being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol on April 6, 2012 in West Hollywood. Picture: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office via WireImage

“I started smoking marijuana when I was 16. Even though everyone thought I was the ‘good girl’, I did smoke marijuana from that point on,” she told Paper magazine’s Abby Schreiber in 2018.

“I didn’t get addicted (then), and I wasn’t abusing it. And I wasn’t going out and partying or making a fool of myself … yet.”

Bynes said she regretted many of her decisions, including the infamous tweets she’d written aimed at rapper Drake and many other celebrities.

“I’m really ashamed and embarrassed with the things I said. I can’t turn back time, but if I could, I would,” she explained.

Bynes in 2003 accepting the Favourite Movie Actress award at Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards. Picture: AP/Chris Pizzello

“And I’m so sorry to whoever I hurt and whoever I lied about because it truly eats away at me. It makes me feel so horrible and sick to my stomach and sad.

“Everything I worked my whole life to achieve, I kind of ruined it all through Twitter. It’s definitely not Twitter’s fault – it’s my own fault.”