He’s Worked Long & Hard To Get To Where He Is Today, And Guess What? – He Wouldn’t Change A Thing!
Just call Jonathan Taylor Thomas the busiest kid in the business. With Home Improvement on hiatus, JTT spent the last few months on location filming Wild America with Devon Sawa. In July, he’ll return to the set to begin shooting a new season of Home Improvement. And that same month The Adventures Of Pinocchio, in which JTT provides the voice of the puppet and appears as Pinocchio the real boy, comes to theaters. Jonathan slowed down long enough to chat with us about his career, success and more!
Teen Beat: Is success everything someone outside the business would imagine it to be?
Jonathan Taylor Thomas: No. It’s a lot of hard work. You have to give up a lot of things, but you get a lot in return. It’s tough work and people think this business is all glitz and glamour but it’s not, believe me. Like for Tom and Huck, I sat in mud day after day after day and ran around in fields and all that, so it you want to call that glitz and glamour I don’t know if that would necessarily qualify.
Teen Beat: What kind of movie role do you think you’d like to do next?
JTT: I couldn’t say there’s one type of role I really want to play. Just so I can do something a little bit different, that’s what I kind of want to accomplish, play a different character each time so that I can get better. That’s kind of the objective.
Teen Beat: Having been in the business for some time now, what’s something it’s taught you?
JTT: I’ve learned a lot about dealing with people ’cause you’re constantly having to relate and work with them on a very personal basis. I’ve been taught a lot by my mom and from visiting different places. I’m very fortunate that I’m in the position that I am and I just have to do things with that and, it sounds cheesy, but just give back by trying to make a difference and getting messages across to people.
Teen Beat: Does being noticed in public make you feel uncomfortable?
JTT: Not really. I’m generally with my friends or with my family and I know I can handle myself and I think, no, I’m fine. I can deal with most situations that come up.
Teen Beat: Do you mind when people approach you for an autograph?
JTT: It depends on the circumstances. I don’t go out there and want people to come up to me. It’s sometimes frustrating when you’re with your family having a meal or trying to have quality family time and people come up. It’s part of the business and you have to deal with it.
Teen Beat: Is it difficult for you to make friends?
JTT: I have a few close friends and that’s all I need, just a couple of good people who I know I can trust and are my friends and have been for a long time. I see them and we do things and that’s all I need.
Teen Beat: Have you been dating anyone? We just had to ask!
JTT: Oh, yeah, it comes up all the time. I’ve been pretty busy lately and not dating anyone. I’m 14 years old so I’ll have plenty of time to do that when I’m older. Right now, I’d rather fish.
Teen Beat: You’ve been working pretty hard lately. Will you be able to squeeze in some vacation time when shooting wraps on Wild America?
JTT: I’m sure I will. That’s a priority too, that I do get a break, and regardless if you’re a kid or an adult, you do need that.
Teen Beat: How’s your mom?
JTT: She’s fine. She has to work extremely hard and I respect that I couldn’t do anything without her. Thank God I have the mom that I do.
Teen Beat: Would you change anything about your career, or how you’ve gotten to where you are right now?
JTT: No, not really. I think we’ve gotten where we’ve gotten … it’s not like we stepped on people and did sneaky things. We got here through hard work and doing a lot of different things, so it was a group effort, but no, I wouldn’t change anything.
Source: Teen Beat Date: September 1996 Author: unknown