Entertainment

Amanda Bynes' Comments On Channing Tatum Are A Must-Read For 'She's The Man' Fans

by Kristie Rohwedder

Get out a blank thank you card and make sure your fountain pen has plenty of ink, because the star of The Amanda Show deserves a note of gratitude. In a candid interview with Paper magazine, Amanda Bynes revealed she pushed for Channing Tatum's casting in She’s the Man. Yes, shortly before Tatum would go on to become one of the biggest actors on the planet, Bynes sensed he was the man for She's the Man. You might even go so far as to say when she closed her eyes she saw him for what he truly is... which is a star.

Bynes told the publication,

"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!'"

OK first of all, you must revisit the classic Mountain Dew commercial that convinced Bynes of his star power right this second. Like, this isn't a suggestion; you need to watch this TV spot now. Pause your post-holiday break wind-down playlist, click the full screen button on the YouTube video, and get ready to let the sweet sounds of Hoobastank wash over your ears as Tatum goes bonkers in a muscle car all because he forgot his Dew. You will not regret it.

In 2002, he forgot his Dew. In 2006, he was starring opposite Bynes in a brilliant rom-com loosely based on Twelfth Night. And in 2012, he was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive. Bynes knew what was up.

Thank goodness she made darn well sure he played her love interest in She’s the Man. Can you imagine existing in a world where we do not get to watch Tatum's Duke spin a soccer ball on his finger while he lounges on a dorm bed with a tampon wedged up his nostril? It's a thought that could make your blood run cold.

Not to go all "When a butterfly flaps its wings…", but who knows what would've happened next if Tatum did not land this breakout role. Sure, he probably would've had a fantastic career regardless (he is a hunk who can dance and has exquisite comedic timing — it really is an irresistible combination), but that career could've looked entirely different. Or hey, maybe it'd look almost exactly the same and chaos theory isn't as chaotic as we thought and we like Gouda too?

Point being: Tatum's turn in She’s the Man kicked off what has been an incredible run, and there are few movie moments more important than the one where Duke takes a call on his flip phone.

Thanksgiving has come and gone, but that does not mean it's too late to give thanks to Bynes. So thank you, Bynes, for making sure Tatum was part of She's the Man. Gouda best.