While Bynes and Dunham’s rises have parallels, their attempts at redemption could not have resulted in more disparate responses. (Tactless, tone-deaf or not, Dunham arguably lacks the public goodwill afforded Bynes and other child stars, who grew up, and suffered, in the spotlight from a very young age.) Both women are taking ownership of the narratives the public had previously held hostage, even if that means revealing themselves to be exactly the kind of person most people believed. No matter how successful the redemption, the move is necessary for either of their careers to progress, especially since both women are so young. It’s for this reason that you’ll often see these stories (long-winded interviews that purport to lay it all out in a way the star never has before) appear just before a big project drops ( Johnny Depp, anyone? ). For both Bynes and Dunham, there’s no more hiding, and whether it’s taken as a tease or a warning, one thing’s for sure: You will see them again.