Jonathan Taylor Thomas Opens Up About Why He Walked Away from Fame
03/22/2013


After years on a hit TV series and having his face plastered on the walls of teenage girls everywhere, Jonathan Taylor Thomas made a conscious decision to walk away from fame.

"I'd been going nonstop since I was 8-years-old," the 31-year-old former "Home Improvement" star told People. "I wanted to go to school, to travel and have a bit of a break."



Thomas played Randy Taylor on the top-rated ABC series from 1991 to 1998, and enrolled in Harvard University in 2000, where he studied philosophy and history, and would eventually go on to finally complete his degree, graduating from Columbia University in 2010.

"To sit in a big library amongst books and students, that was pretty cool. It was a novel experience for me," he told People of his educational experience, saying that he has "no regrets" about taking time away from the spotlight.

"I never took the fame too seriously. It was a great period in my life, but it doesn't define me. When I think back on the time, I look at it with a wink. I focus on the good moments I had, not that I was on a lot of magazine covers," he said.





After leaving "Home Improvement", Thomas didn't completely walk away from acting, as he made time for various guest appearances on TV shows, including "Ally McBeal" and "Smallville".

Until recently, his last credit was a 2005 guest spot on "Veronica Mars".

These days, Thomas says he's focused on directing and writing scripts. And he'll be reunited with his TV dad, Tim Allen, as he guest stars on the season finale of "Last Man Standing", airing March 22.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/22/jonathan-taylor-thomas-fame_n_2933729.html?

Very nice. Sounds like Jonathan Taylor Thomas has a good attitude about things. It was nice to see him back on TV with a reunion with Tim Allen on "Last Man Standing". I think with actors and actresses there is usually something of a "Never say never" kind of attitude (though obviously, like in the case of Sean Connery, retirement generally means, "I'm done.") But if JTT wants to focus on other things, then that's cool- good for him. I'm sure he may still like to do more acting jobs here and there as they come up, but if he doesn't- that's okay too. He reminds me some of Shaun Cassidy, who also went through a phase of being a teen star and spending time acting in TV shows and movies. He also spent time having a singing career. And now he's settled into a directing and writing career, which he seems to enjoy well.
Perhaps he might decide to do another acting gig if it strikes his fancy, but more than likely- we're probably not going to see him in any new movies or TV shows any time soon.
(Though of course, since beyond his music, he's best known as Joe Hardy on "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries", I'd love to see him join up with Parker Stevenson again to make "The Hardy Men" movie idea that's been touted around the Internet for years now- and make a serious movie based on the Hardy Boys books- but that probably will never happen.)

Because of how much more that he didn't grow, he doesn't look like he is now in his 30's.

God bless you and him always!!! :) :) :)

Holly