Jonathan Taylor Thomas achieved stardom at the tender age of nine when he joined Tim Allen in the role of Randy Taylor in the popular family sitcom Home Improvement. The show made its debut in 1991 and quickly became a beloved household name. He also achieved significant recognition for his notable portrayal of the young Simba, the iconic lion cub, in the critically acclaimed and beloved 1994 animated film, The Lion King.
After the conclusion of the eighth season of Home Improvement in 1999, the 39-year-old stepped away from the spotlight. The former child star opened up in an interview with US Weekly about the difficulties of growing up in the spotlight and the reasons behind his decision to step away from the spotlight after eight seasons.
Taylor decided to focus on other aspects of his life
Home Improvement’s Jonathan Taylor Thomas, now 39, looks unrecognizable https://t.co/1CWkVENyAL pic.twitter.com/2ICqGoQ0F4
— The US Sun (@TheSunUS) June 30, 2021
“I’d been going nonstop since I was 8 years old. I wanted to go to school, to travel, and have a bit of a break,” Taylor admitted. “To sit in a big library amongst books and students, that was pretty cool. It was a novel experience for me.”
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Thomas pursued his academic interests and enrolled in Harvard University to study philosophy and history. He later completed his studies at Columbia University, graduating in 2010. The actor disclosed to Premiere in a 1996 interview that he took his studies seriously because the glamour of acting is temporary. “You should be focused on doing a good job, but … every job has an end,” Thomas confessed. “I think most [fallen child stars] weren’t prepared for the end. I mean, it’s not the end of your life! You can’t base your life around one thing. So that’s why I focus on school, I play sports, I learn the technical side of [filmmaking]. Because sometime it’ll change, and I’ll have my education to fall back on.”
Jonathan Taylor Thomas makes a rare public appearance after hiatus
The teenage heartthrob made a notable appearance as he was captured for the first time on June 20, 2021, since his last public appearance in 2013.
The Home Improvement star was sported wearing a casual ensemble consisting of jeans, a navy zip-up sweatshirt, gray New Balance sneakers, and a New York Mets baseball cap. During this rare outing, Thomas was also seen wearing sunglasses, with a black face mask pulled down over his chin while skillfully walking his two dogs on leashes while simultaneously checking his phone and indulging in a vape.