A Talk With "Robots" Piper Pinwheeler

OK, we confess. It was actually with the actress who gives Piper her voice, 18-year-old Amanda Bynes. Kids know her from Nickelodean's "The Amanda Show" as well as several movies.The computer-animated film is directed by Chris Wedge, who created "Ice Age." In the film you'll meet a wide range of memorable mechanical creations besides Byne's teen misfit 'bot Piper Pinwheeler. There's Rodney Copperbottom (Ewan McGregor), a young genius inventor who dreams of helping robots everywhere; Cappy (Halle Berry), a beautiful, dynamic and savvy bot with whom Rodney is instantly smitten; and the nefarious corporate tyrant Ratchet (Greg Kinnear) who locks horns with Rodney.Bigweld (Mel Brooks) is a master inventor who has lost his way; and Fender (Robin Williams) who provides some of the film's funniest moments. Fender's head, arms, and legs routinely fall off at the most inopportune moments. As Rodney fulfills Fender's ongoing need for repairs, the two become fast friends. Piper is Fender's tomboy kid sister, who surprises everyone with her determination and strength. This was Bynes first big-screen animation effort, and while she didn't get to interact with Williams and the other actors (all their parts were recorded separately) she says she had a lot of fun. She also says she thinks the message of the film is important; that anyone can shine no matter what he or she is made of.Born and raised in Thousand Oaks, California, Bynes began her career at a comedy camp, and has worked steadily since age ten. As she continued to work on her craft, it was at a showcase performance in Los Angeles that producers Brian Robbins and Dan Schneider discovered her and added Bynes to the cast of Nickelodeon's "All That." After just one season, she was nominated for a 1997 Cable Ace Award, putting her in the company of such established actresses as Tracey Ullman and Janeane Garofalo. Known for her unique style of bold, no-holds-barred physical comedy, Bynes remained on "All That" for four seasons. By age 12, Bynes became the youngest performer to host her own variety sketch program, "The Amanda Show," which earned her the Favorite Television Actress honor four years in a row from Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards. Bynes charmed audiences in the 2002 hit comedy "Big Fat Liar" with Frankie Muniz. In 2003 Bynes starred in her first lead role in the hit film "What a Girl Wants," also starring Colin Firth and Kelly Preston, for which she won the Blimp Award for Favorite Movie Actress. That same year, Bynes was featured on "It's Totally Raining Teens" cover of Vanity Fair, and she was nominated for Choice TV Actress in a Comedy at the 2003 Teen Choice Awards. Bynes stars in the upcoming romantic comedy "Lovewrecked."Bynes, who resides in Southern California, spends her free time drawing, painting and writing.