Recently, a former child star of “Home Improvement” who was well-known for his turbulent personal life and early popularity shocked fans with a stunning turnaround. See his path and subsequent endeavors, from his on-screen success to an unexpected existence off-camera.
There were several notable child actors in the 1990s, such as this “Home Improvement” star. His character immediately gained popularity as a beloved fixture on the popular show and became a favorite among the audience. Even though he was successful in the movies, his personal life was far more chaotic.
The actor caused controversy when he married a significantly older woman at the age of sixteen. He sued his parents shortly after, at the age of 17, for controlling his “Home Improvement” earnings. See how his life has changed unexpectedly over the years and how he has changed recently.
A Tumultuous Journey in Hollywood
The actor gained notoriety after being cast as the youngest son in the popular comedy “Home Improvement” in the 1990s. He was a staple on the show for eight seasons, growing up in front of the camera and becoming well-known and successful financially at an early age.
However, behind the scenes, he was dealing with issues in his personal life that would eventually become news. He stunned Hollywood at the age of sixteen by marrying Heidi Van Pelt, a woman who was almost twice his senior.
In his personal life, 33-year-old vegan chef Van Pelt became a controversial figure because he held dinners for foodies in Southern California. The young actor’s passion with Van Pelt took center stage as he started his studies at the University of Southern California with the goal of becoming a director.
“She was 15 years older than me,” the former child star later said, adding that he knew his parents would not approve of the connection. I informed my parents that she was nine years older than I was, putting us at the same age difference because I knew they would not be thrilled about it.”
But when his family found out, they made an effort to step in. The actor said, “But that never works with a teenager in love,” adding that his parents’ opposition had simply made him grow more aloof. However, he would fight them throughout his life and not just in his marriage.
Having left school at the age of seventeen and fled with Van Pelt, the actor sued his parents when he was seventeen, claiming they were mismanaging the $1.5 million trust fund he had amassed from his lucrative television career.
He requested early access to the fund and charged—an accusation his mother adamantly refuted—that his parents were living off his wages. “Of course we didn’t touch his money,” she insisted. In a trust fund, that is. Even if we had wanted to, we were unable to touch it.”
In the hopes of persuading a Marin County court to decide in Van Pelt’s favor, the pair hired a lawyer to draft an affidavit stating that the actor and his spouse were married. When he was seventeen, they were attempting to take it, and we were attempting to keep it safe. Fortunately, the Marin courts handled it quite nicely “the actor’s mother disclosed.
The trust was ultimately safeguarded by the courts despite the contentious legal proceedings, prohibiting the young actor from accessing it until he turned eighteen. The relationship between the Hollywood celebrity and his older wife remained in the public eye during this turbulent time.
Media sites covered their efforts to secure the actor’s early release. The marriage, however, did not endure. The actor finally acknowledged that he had erred after a number of years together.
“I was with Heidi for five or six years,” he said. By the time that was over, I knew I had erred. It’s interesting because at that point, my parents were prepared to accept her as a member of the family and forgive her.”
“They told me they wanted to tell me something, but I said, ‘I want to tell you something first — Heidi and I have split up,’” he added. The pair eventually broke up, even though his family and Van Pelt were briefly reunited.
He had made amends with his parents by the time he turned 19, which was a turning moment in their relationship. Following their experiences, his mother wrote about them in her book “Stardom Happens: Nurturing Your Child in the Entertainment Business.”
The book provided understanding of the difficulties of bringing up a child in the entertainment business. The mother-son team wanted to assist other families in navigating the challenges that come with notoriety and wealth.
A New Path for the Former Child Star
Taran Noah Smith turned his attention to new endeavors and personal development following his turbulent childhood. Smith revealed that, looking back on his time away from performing, he had been employed as an installation artist at a number of museums and festivals.
Taran Noah Smith turned his attention to new endeavors and personal development following his turbulent childhood. Smith revealed that, looking back on his time away from performing, he had been employed as an installation artist at a number of museums and festivals.
One of Smith’s greatest accomplishments was a project that had a strong ties to the history of his family. “The other side project I started before I ended up going to the Philippines was a floating art gallery I built that I call The FairWeather Gallery,” he said.
It combines a little bit of my heritage. I’m mixing the two in my life because my mom studied art history and is a far better artist than my dad, who builds boats,” the former child star said.
Smith has adopted a life on the sea as of 2015, living on a sailboat—a lifestyle he had known since he was a little boy. “I was actually raised on a boat by sailors,” he said.
In 2017, Smith’s varied career took an unexpected turn when he found himself employed as a home improvement contractor—a satirical parody of the Tim Allen sitcom that had first gained him notoriety.
At the age of thirty-three, he assisted volunteers in clearing and repairing buildings damaged by Hurricane Harvey at a camp outside of Corpus Christi, Texas. Smith remarked after the event, “It is very strange.” I’m now actually engaging in “Tool Time.”
By 2018, the actor has become involved in multiple technical teams, helping to build devices that generate clean water. His career has continued to be shaped by his dedication to environmental initiatives and sustainability.
Smith disclosed in 2020 that he had been vegan for about twenty years, a lifestyle decision that matched his moral principles. “At sixteen, I adopted a vegan diet. When I was younger, I briefly followed a vegetarian diet,” he said.
“Then, when I was sixteen, I met a vegan chef and nutritionist, and she really helped me with the shift. Thus, it’s been 20 years,” the actor said.
Smith had been out of the public eye for years until he posted a self-portrait on social media in 2022, to which many people expressed admiration. With a thick beard and lengthy hair, the once-fresh-faced child star had a stunning new look.
One person on social media said, “Love the hair.” Another person said, “That hair is legit.” “Lookin’ good,” wrote a third person. “I am no rocket surgeon…but you seem to age gracefully,” a fourth person commented.
Taran Noah Smith has led an unconventional life since leaving Hollywood. He has forged his own path, from early celebrity and family hardships to adopting a vegan lifestyle and working on environmental initiatives. But his recent metamorphosis, which astounded fans, demonstrated how captivating his tale still is.