Back during the 2000s, a number of comedy films rolled into theaters and found their footing with global audiences. Some made tons of cash, while others had a modest haul but still managed to forge a legacy. It was during that decade that She's the Man made its way into theaters.
Starring Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum, the movie was a hilarious adaptation of Twelfth Night that was just what audiences were looking for. The flick was a launching point for the unknown Tatum at the time, and he has since become a major star in Hollywood. During the casting process, Amanda Bynes played a major role in the actor being cast in the film.
Let's see how Bynes went to bat for Channing Tatum.
'She's The Man' Is A Hilarious Comedy
Released back in 2006, She's the Man was a fantastic comedy film that found a loyal audience and has been able to stand the test of time since its release thanks to sharp performances and a number of quotable lines. Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum were dynamic on screen together, and they played a major part in the movie becoming what it is today.
Amanda Bynes was already a household name by the time the movie came out, and it was another chance for her to show mainstream audiences just how funny she truly was when the cameras were rolling.
While the film did utilize a few major names, it did employ a number of performers who weren't stars just yet. This included a younger and greener Channing Tatum, who was still looking for his big break in Hollywood.
It Helped Launch Channing Tatum's Career
At this point, Channing Tatum is a major star with a number of hit films, but back before She's the Man hit theaters, he was a relative unknown with a smaller body of work. Tatum had been in a Ricky Martin music video and had done some acting, but he wasn't a star quite yet. However, he was able to score an audition to potentially get himself the role of a lifetime in the project.
The movie had a ton of potential, and the folks behind the scenes were doing anything and everything to ensure that they were putting the right people in the right roles. This included the role of Duke, who was going to be a major character. Turns out, Tatum was a bit different than those who came in to audition.
According to director Andy Fickman, "He walks in and you know, Channing was never a kid who was this polished Hollywood guy who had been acting since the age of three and came in with, like, a smoking jacket saying, 'Hello, here's my eight-page resume of everything I've done before I was 12.' He was not that kid. His charisma, which now the world knows in triplicate, was there from day one. I clearly remember—and I think I still have it somewhere—on my casting sheet, as he was talking, I was writing in crazy scribbles, ‘Star…star…star.' I remember everyone else was crazy-scribbling 'Star.'"
Clearly, many people saw the massive potential that Tatum had, but he received a major boost thanks to Amanda Bynes going to bat for him and fighting for him to be cast in the movie.
Amanda Bynes Fought For Him To Be In The Movie
So, how did Amanda Bynes know that Channing Tatum was the man for the job? Turns out, she has an eye for talent and saw his massive potential based on some commercial work that he had done.
According to Bynes, "I totally fought for Channing [to get cast in] that movie because he wasn't famous yet. He'd just done a Mountain Dew commercial and I was like, 'This guy's a star — every girl will love him!' But [the producers] were like, 'He's so much older than all of you!' And I was like, 'It doesn't matter! Trust me!'"
It is pretty remarkable to hear that Bynes was so locked in on Tatum being in the film, as she clearly saw the potential that he had early on. Some people simply have an eye for talent, and as we got to see in the movie, Tatum was a perfect fit for the character and was excellent while performing opposite of Bynes. A few years after the movie debuted, Tatum was suddenly a major name in Hollywood.
She's the Man is genuinely an underappreciated comedy from its era, and it was the perfect launching point for a young Channing Tatum. Kudos to Amanda Bynes for recognizing what he could do and her role in making him a household name.