Jonathan Taylor Thomas, the former Home Improvement star who voiced young Simba in The Lion King, was arrested Monday night in Westlake Village, California. According to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Thomas was a passenger in a car stopped for blocking traffic at a green light. Deputies suspected the driver of DUI, and while they investigated, Thomas allegedly exited the vehicle repeatedly and approached them. When deputies moved to detain him for obstruction and public intoxication, he allegedly kicked a deputy in the stomach. He was booked at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station, and the case will be submitted to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
For anyone who came of age in the nineties, Thomas was everywhere. Randy Taylor on Home Improvement, young Simba in The Lion King, and a magazine cover staple. Then he stepped away from acting to focus on school, becoming one of the rare child stars who actually dodged the spotlight instead of chasing it. That quiet exit is a big part of why this news is hitting people so hard.
The arrest also lands right after Tim Allen said a Home Improvement revival is stalled, pointing to the cast’s various off-screen struggles as one reason it hasn’t happened. With Zachery Ty Bryan’s ongoing legal issues already part of that conversation, this adds another complicated chapter to a beloved nineties show’s legacy. What’s your favorite JTT role, Randy Taylor or young Simba?
About the Author
Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.