Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty; Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Taran Killam is crediting his former costar Amanda Bynes with helping to launch his career through the Nickelodeon seriesThe Amanda Show TheSaturday Night Livealumnus said on a podcast that his role on the show was his first job, and that he was cast "literally the last week of high school" "It was a very important relationship to me in my life," Killam added of his friendship with Bynes Saturday Night Livealumnus Taran Killam is crediting his former costar Amanda Bynes with helping to launch his career. On the May 14, 2025, episode of David Spade and Dana Carvey'sFly on the Wallpodcast, the 43-year-old actor spoke about his first role ever, on the 1999 to 2002 Nickelodeon seriesThe Amanda Show, starring a young Bynes. "It was my first job, literally the last week of high school I got cast on her show," Killam said of Bynes' variety series. "We worked together for three weeks then. And then I went away to college, I didn't have an agent anymore, I was focused on school. They called me back to do more, and they helped me get an agent." He continued: "Being onThe Amanda Showstarted my grown-up acting career." Nickelodeon Killam added that he and Bynes were "friends" who went on to film another project together, the 2002 film,Big Fat Liar. "And she was the best," Killam said of Bynes. "It was a very important relationship to me in my life." Killam added that Bynes was "14 or 15" during the filming of the show — yet had a comedic prowess well beyond her years. "She's one of the most talented people," Killam added. "At that age, too — to be at the full Lucille Ball-Carol Burnett dynamic. She's truly one of the best." Bynes, now 39,rose to fame on Nickelodeonafter joining the cast of kids' sketch comedy showAll Thatin 1996 at 10 years old. That role helped her land her own Nickelodeon show,The Amanda Show, which skyrocketed Bynes' status as a celebrity. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. While the actress' résumé continued to grow after her Nickelodeon stint, sheultimately quit actingin 2010 following public struggles with substance abuse, mental health and legal issues. Bynes spent the next decadein and out of mental health facilitiesand was placed under the conservatorship ofher parents, Lynnand Rick Bynes, for nearly nine years. Bynesprovided an update on her mental healthon her Instagram Stories in March 2024, revealing to fans that, though she had spent the previous several months dealing with depression, she was "doing a lot better now." Read the original article onPeople
