Credit: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

A photo of Home Improvement‘s Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who is now 44, nearly broke the Internet today when his TV mom, actress Patricia Richardson, shared a new photo she snapped with Jonathan and fellow cast member Taran Noah Smith.

In the past few years, Jonathan has only been seen out and about a couple of times. He was photographed while out to dinner in 2013 and then walking his dogs in 2021.

Why did Jonathan Taylor Thomas step away from acting?

JTT revealed his reasons back in 2013.

“I’d been going nonstop since I was 8 years old,” he told People at the time. “I wanted to go to school, to travel and have a bit of a break.”

He went to Harvard University, studying philosophy and history, before studying at University of St. Andrews in Scotland in his third year, and ultimately graduating from Columbia University School of General Studies in 2010.

He really enjoyed being a student.

He shared, “To sit in a big library amongst books and students, that was pretty cool. It was a novel experience for me.”

What is Jonathan Taylor Thomas doing today instead of acting?

He is now focusing his time on directing and writing. “I watch a lot of movies, I hike, I stay up on shows and theater,” he said. He told the publication that he does not regret this decision to leave acting behind at all.

In 2024, Patricia reiterated JTT‘s sentiments on the Back to the Best podcast, saying, “he’s not really interested in acting. He wants to direct and write.”

Posted To:Jonathan Taylor Thomas