‘Home Improvement’ star Richard Karn reacts to co-star Zachery Ty Bryan arrests
“Home Improvement” star Richard Karn tells Fox News Digital how co-star Zachery Ty Bryan being a child star may have led to DUI and domestic violence arrests.
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Jonathan Taylor Thomas is back in the spotlight — at least momentarily.
The former child star appeared in a rare reunion photo with his “Home Improvement” co-stars Patricia Richardson and Taran Noah Smith.
Patricia Richardson sparked a wave of nostalgia when she shared a rare reunion photo with her former “Home Improvement” sons Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Taran Noah Smith, more than 25 years after the beloved sitcom ended.
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“My other boys,” Richardson captioned the snapshot with a heart emoji.
For eight seasons of the hit comedy series, Richardson played Jill Taylor, the wife of Tim Allen’s character, Tim “The Toolman” Taylor. Thomas and Smith became household names, playing sons Randy and Mark Taylor, respectively, while Zachery Ty Bryan portrayed oldest son Brad.
“Home Improvement” cast Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Patricia Richardson and Taran Noah Smith pose for a rare photo.(Patricia Richardson / Instagram )
The reunion offered fans a rare glimpse of Thomas, who largely stepped away from Hollywood after becoming one of the biggest child stars of the 1990s.
Thomas rose to fame as Randy Taylor on “Home Improvement” and became a major teen heartthrob, appearing in films including “Tom and Huck” and “Man of the House.” He also voiced young Simba in Disney’s 1994 blockbuster “The Lion King.”
But at the height of his fame, Thomas made a surprising decision to walk away.
“I’d been going nonstop since I was 8 years old,” Thomas told People in 2013. “I wanted to go to school, to travel and have a bit of a break.”
Pictured left to right: Taran Noah Smith, Patricia Richardson, Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Zachery Ty Bryan.(Ron Galella, Ltd / Ron Galella Collection; ABC Photo Archives / Disney General Entertainment Content)
Thomas left “Home Improvement” during its eighth and final season, with his character moving to Costa Rica.
Although he largely stayed out of the spotlight, Thomas briefly returned to acting, reuniting with TV dad Tim Allen on “Last Man Standing” from 2013 to 2015. He appeared in four episodes and directed three.
Smith also left acting behind after “Home Improvement” wrapped in 1999.
“Home Improvement” cast gallery. Shoot date: July 23, 1992. Left to right: Zachery Ty Bryan, Taran Noah Smith and Jonathan Taylor Thomas.(ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content
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The former child star went on to explore a series of unexpected careers, including creating a vegan food company, working as an installation artist and helping develop energy-efficient water purification systems used overseas.
His post-Hollywood years also came with controversy. Smith married Heidi Van Pelt at 17, when she was 16 years older, and the couple divorced in 2007. He later became involved in a legal battle with his parents over control of his reported $1.5 million trust fund before eventually reconciling with his mother.
The “Home Improvement” reunion also comes as fans continue celebrating the show’s legacy — and the chemistry between Allen and Richardson that helped make it a 1990s television staple.
“Home Improvement” cast gallery in July 23, 1992. Left to right: Taran Noah Smith, Patricia Richardson, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Tim Allen and Zachery Ty Bryan.(ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content
Richardson previously told Fox News Digital that Allen deserved more recognition for his acting abilities during the show’s run.
“People don’t give Tim enough credit for the acting that he was doing,” Richardson said.
“He had never acted before. He was getting acting lessons on the side.”
Meanwhile, Zachery Ty Bryan, who played oldest son Brad Taylor, went on to appear in projects including “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Veronica Mars” and “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.”
Bryan has faced multiple legal issues in recent years. In early 2026, he was sentenced to 16 months behind bars after pleading guilty in connection with a 2024 DUI arrest.
Decades after “Home Improvement” ended, the reunion photo brought fans back to the Taylor household — and reminded them of a cast whose lives took very different paths after leaving one of the biggest sitcoms of the ’90s.
