It's been over a decade since Jonathan Taylor Thomas was last on the screen.
The former teen idol, who captivated the nation starring as the suave Randy Taylor in the hit sitcom Home Improvement throughout the 1990s, has taken a break from public life for years now.
However, in a new photo that captures one of his first sightings in years, fans are realizing that even in his 40s, he's still got that same heartthrob appeal.
© Getty ImagesHome Improvement reunion
The 44-year-old actor appeared in a new snap shared on Instagram by Patricia Richardson, who played his onscreen mom Jill Taylor, and Taran Noah Smith, who played his younger onscreen brother Mark.
"My other boys," the actress, a mom-of-three in real life, gushed in her caption, standing in between Taran and Jonathan. The former wore glasses and sported his hair long (all the way down to his chest) and curly.
Jonathan, meanwhile, wore a black sweater to match his jet-black coiffed hair, wearing thick-rimmed glasses and sporting a light stubble. Actor Zachery Ty Bryan, who played oldest brother Brad Taylor, is currently serving a 16-month jail sentence in California. Amid a slew of legal troubles since exiting the show, he was last charged with a felony DUI in February 2024.
© InstagramFans replied to the rare photo with comments like: "Love this!!! Home Improvement is my comfort show. I watch it almost daily," and: "I'll never outgrow my JTT phase, I fear," as well as: "Omg. Thank you for sharing this!!! I love seeing Jonathan when we can," plus: "Aww this is wonderful Pat brought a smile to my face all looking well JTT hasn't changed!!!"
Jonathan Taylor Thomas' career
After voicing the lead character of Spot in the animated show The Adventures of Spot for four years, and a recurring role in The Brady Bunch sequel The Bradys, Jonathan was just 10 years old when he began playing Randy Taylor in Home Improvement opposite Tim Allen, Patricia, Zachery and Taran.
From that point on, until the mid aughts, Jonathan became one of the most in-demand young stars, even voicing the character of young Simba in Disney's 1994 opus The Lion King. He remained with Home Improvement until the show's seventh season, following which he only made sparing appearances to focus on his studies.
© Getty ImagesAfter enrolling at Harvard University in 2000, he began slowing down his work on the screen, effectively retiring from acting in 2005. However, he then returned in 2013 to make recurring appearances in Tim's new sitcom Last Man Standing, which also reunited him with Patricia. Jonathan also directed three episodes of the show, last appearing on screen in 2015.
Why did Jonathan Taylor Thomas leave acting?
In 2013, he spoke with People about why he has no regrets about walking away from Hollywood at the height of his fame. "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," the actor shared.
He's since focused more of his attention toward directing and writing, although doesn't boast any credits since 2015. But the former star now maintains a quiet life in Los Angeles and hasn't been photographed publicly in over a decade.
© Getty Images"I never took the fame too seriously," Jonathan continued. "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."
