7. Taran Noah Smith
Many child actors don’t find the same fortune growing up. Taran Noah Smith is one of them, but it was by choice. Even though he was one of the stars of Home Improvement alongside Tim Allen, he decided to quit acting when he was just 18. And today, he is working as an installation artist.
Taran started acting in 1990 in a TV series called ABC TGIF. He was 6 years old at that time. Then, for eight seasons he starred Home Improvement. And when the show ended, he still got several acting jobs until he decided to quit.
A year before that, when he was only 17, he married a woman 16 years older than him. Then, another controversy hit his life as he sued his parents for using up his $1.5 million trust fund that he collected during his 11 years of acting. Because of this, he got estranged.
In 2005, Taran and his wife started California-based nondairy cheese manufacturer and restaurant specializing in vegan and organic food. Unfortunately, the business was closed down because it was considered illegal. Later, they tried to open another restaurant in on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City but it did not succeed. From there, things went south on Taran. He got divorced, his house was foreclosed, and he was arrested for DUI and alleged possession of marijuana.
Eventually, he made amend with his parents and moved back into their house. And he has been working as an installation artist at festivals and museums for the last few years.
