Jonathan Taylor Thomas: Quietly Crafting His Legacy | Durham News

0:00Jonathan Taylor Thomas, you know the kid from Home Improvement, he's been pretty low key since leaving acting. He was a huge deal back in the day, voicing young Simba in the Lion King and then playing Rady Taylor on Home Improvements for years. He even stepped away from the show to hit the books, graduating from both Harvard and Columbia. After a few more TV gigs, he decided to hang up his acting shoes. He did pop back up for a few episodes of Tim Allen's show Last Man Standing back in 2013 even directing some of them. But since then, it's been pretty quiet on the project front. He's kept in touch with his TV parents, Tim Allen and Patricia Richardson. Allen mentioned recently that Thomas even visited the set of his new show, Shifting Gears, saying he practically raised the kid. It's clear they still have a strong bond. Thomas has been spotted out and about a few times, but these appearances are rare. He saw him in Hollywood back in June of 2021, and then again, near his home in Southern California in November of 2023.

1:02He seems to be enjoying a more private life. Most recently, Patricia Richardson shared a photo with him and Zachary Ty Smith, another home improvement Akelem, in July of 2026. She mentioned he's more interested in directing and writing these days, which makes sense given his academic background. That's her update from Durham News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with The Story.