Jonathan Taylor Thomas

Jonathan Taylor Weiss was born on September 8, 1981, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He later adopted the professional name Jonathan Taylor Thomas. His family relocated to Sacramento, California, and then to Los Angeles. His early career began at age seven as a model for print advertisements and TV commercials for brands such as Kelloggs cereal and Mattel toys. In 1989, he secured the role of Kevin Brady in “The Bradys,” a spin-off of “The Brady Bunch.”

Thomas gained widespread recognition in 1990 with his casting as Randy Taylor on the ABC sitcom “Home Improvement,” a role he maintained for seven years. During his time on the show, he also expanded into feature films and voice acting. A notable voice role was that of young Simba in Disney’s animated film “The Lion King” (1994). He starred in live-action films including “Man of the House” (1995), “Tom and Huck” (1995), and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (1998). In 1998, he left “Home Improvement” to prioritize his academic pursuits. He enrolled at Harvard University in 2000, studying philosophy and history, and continued his education at the University of St Andrews in Scotland and Columbia University, from which he graduated in 2010.

Following his acting career, Thomas shifted focus to directing. Between 2013 and 2016, he directed three episodes of the TV series “Last Man Standing,” where he also guest-starred, reuniting with his former “Home Improvement” co-star, Tim Allen. These appearances marked a return to television in a different capacity. Since 2017, Thomas has served as a national board member of SAG-AFTRA, a media labor union.