Life after Home Improvement took a turn for child star Zachary Ty Bryan, with arrests for domestic violence and drink driving now under his name after he was taught dangerous lessons
Child stars often go on to have rocky futures, battling with the pressures of fame while growing up on TV and movie sets.
For one actor who was a hugely famous face in the 90s, the experience went on to have a serious effect on his life, taking a dramatic and troubled turn since the end of his time on a hit show almost 25 years ago.
We all remember Zachery Ty Bryan for playing the sweet and bright-eyed eldest son, Brad, on beloved 90s sitcom Home Improvement alongside Tim Allen. Now aged 43, the actor’s fate took a turn, with his post-fame struggles marked by a concerning series of arrests in an almost unbelievable change from his on-screen character – leaving you to wonder what child stars really go through.
Zachery’s issues with alcohol started way back when he was just 14. He discovered he could use his fame to get behind the velvet rope and into nightclubs with ease despite being eight years too young, leaving him to drink and party among Hollywood’s rich and famous during some very formative years.
The damage caused by not having a proper support system during that time is something that could have played into his future problems. An idea supported by addiction specialist Dr Drew Pinsky, who said: “[When adults] didn’t pay attention to children the way they should have. If you don’t get to go through the normal developmental milestones of childhood, you’ll pay a price.”
And when the show ended just a few years later, any guidance and motivation Bryan had to stay on the right tracks went away as things only got worse as the actor would soon rack-up a long list of arrests for domestic violence and driving under the influence.
Billy Riback, a writer and producer on Home Improvement, believes life on set as one of the stars of the show placed Zachary in a position where nobody would say no to him – teaching him some dangerous lessons for adulthood.
Speaking to Yahoo, the writer said: “One of the downfalls of being famous [is] there’s nobody around to wag a finger, take away your allowance. [He was] the kid who could maybe puncture a kid’s bicycle tyre just because he thought it was funny.”
Being only nine years old when he started the show, he was often the cheekiest and most mischievous out of his on-screen brothers. But that behaviour grew into something much more sinister in adult life.
In 2020 Zachary was arrested after allegedly strangling former fiancée and mother to three of his children, Johnnie Faye Cartwright. He made a plea deal and received counselling for domestic violence and probation.
Three years later he was arrested again, and pleaded guilty to felony assault. He was jailed for seven days, and faced three years on probation.
