When the show debuted in 1991, Thomas was just ten years old. He played the role of the middle kid and spent the following eight years growing up in front of a global audience, becoming a teen idol to millions of young ladies who adored him.
Regarding his enormous popularity, he told the New York Times, “You are a part of their life, and there is a lot that is owed them.” “But it’s hard because you want to please everyone, but you’re setting yourself up for failure if you try to do that.”
The 12-year-old Thomas, who was born in Pennsylvania, provided the voice of Simba in the wildly popular Disney animated feature The Lion King in 1994. The picture moved viewers to tears, laughter, and singing.
Thomas, who played the role of the small lion in the smash hit with his normal voice, says, “Simba’s like me.” “I simply invested my innate energy in it. Extremely inquisitive, lively, and prone to mischief.
Thomas, who alternates between Randy Taylor on Home Improvement and The Lion King, explains that he spent two years bouncing back and forth between the two shows.
“I kind of had to say, ‘Sorry! It’s time to be Randy.”Sorry!” In 1994, Thomas told People, “It’s time to be Simba.” “You must get ready to transform into this completely new person. We’re not lions, after all.
“Complete migraines”
Thomas began to step back from the limelight in 1998 after departing Home Improvement prior to the show’s last season.
Regarding his weariness, he remarks, “I can’t tell you how many shows I’ve done with full-blown migraine headaches.” Since I was eight years old, I had been going constantly.I wanted to take a little vacation, travel, and attend school.
In the next years, he voiced animated characters on The Wild Thornberrys and The Simpsons and had cameos on a number of television programs, including Ally McBeal, Smallville, and 8 Simple Rules.
“Overt deception”
He pushed himself with some more daring parts before leaving, such as a persecuted gay kid in Showtime’s Common Ground (2000) and a bisexual hustler in the independent movie Speedway Junky (1999).
Keeping his anonymity and playing those roles led to speculation about his sexual orientation, which he tactfully refuted in an interview with Jay Leno.
Thomas, who was 17 at the time, told the host, “I wasn’t that upset about it because, pretty much in Hollywood, you’re not anyone until it’s rumored that you’re gay.” “There’s nothing wrong with it, but you should always exercise caution when dealing with internet rumors.”
Thomas said, “No, no, no, no, I’m not,” in response to Leno’s straight question about whether he is gay. I’m not.
He later refuted the claims once more in an interview with The Advocate, explaining that they originated on the website CyberSleaze.
It started as a feeding frenzy after a blatant untruth was posted online. And my recent responsibilities undoubtedly validated that,” Thomas remarked. “The willingness with which people accepted it surprised me.”
“No regrets.”
He then broke hearts by leaving Hollywood to follow his aspirations of “going to school.”
Following his graduation from Chaminade College Preparatory School in New York in 2000, he attended Harvard University to pursue studies in history and philosophy. Later, in 2010, he received his degree from Columbia University’s School of General Studies.
It was so interesting to be seated in a large library surrounded by books and people. For me, it was a new experience,” he explains.
He shows his appreciation by acknowledging that he “never took the fame too seriously” and stating, “It was a great moment in my life…However, it doesn’t define who I am.
“I look at it with a wink when I think back on the time,” he added. I concentrate on my positive experiences rather than the fact that I was featured on numerous magazine covers.
In his spare time, Thomas claims to have “no regrets” about quitting Hollywood.
However, he did not completely vanish. The former teen idol appeared on four episodes of Last Man Standing with Allen, his TV father from Home Improvement, from 2013 to 2015. In addition, he directed three of the show’s episodes.
Seldom seen
The celebrity was recognized in public in 2023, two years after he was spotted walking his dogs, and the pictures caused quite a stir among admirers.
The celebrity, who wore plain clothing, was spotted sporting a black tuque, trousers, and a beige sweater.
Supporters hurried to share their opinions about his unusual sighting in the comments area.
One fan exclaims, “JTT, my elementary school crush,” while another says, “Like many others my age, he was my childhood crush.” I’m relieved he stayed away from the strange Hollywood behavior.
“He was a child star and a teen heartthrob; who knows what happened to him,” a third suggests. Children are rarely treated decently in Hollywood.
Another comments, “Of course he looks different now!” in reference to Thomas’ iconic Home Improvement haircut. There aren’t many men in their 42s with bowl haircuts. His early career made a lot of people happy.