Channing glad Amanda is ‘back on the right track’

Channing Tatum in “Magic Mike”

Retired actress Amanda Bynes told Paper magazine a few weeks ago about her career-damaging drug dependency issues and recovery, the conversation deviating to an actor’s big break when one of her movies was mentioned.

Channing Tatum was cast in her 2006 teen comedy “She’s the Man,” Bynes disclosed, because she saw star quality in the then-unknown model-actor, and “fought” for him.

When asked about Bynes’ revelation, Tatum told Entertainment Tonight, “I love her.”

The “Magic Mike” star recalled his time on-set with the former child star Bynes, who was in her early 20s at the time: “She was just so alive. You never knew what was going to come out of her mouth… I haven’t seen her in so long. I love her, and I hope she’s doing [well].”

Tatum, who was a stripper years before his Hollywood stardom, said of Bynes’ recovery, “I’m so happy she’s killing it again and back on the right track. She’s so talented and so special.”—OLIVER PULUMBARIT