Home Improvement child star, now 41, is totally unrecognizable with long hair as he’s spotted for first time in 14 years

A HOME Improvement child star has stunned with his completely unrecognizable appearance in a rare on-camera sighting.

Taran Noah Smith, who portrayed the youngest Taylor sibling, Mark, resurfaced for the first time in 14 years.

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A Home Improvement child star stunned fans with his unrecognizable appearance in his first on-camera moment in 14 yearsCredit: Disney General Entertainment Con

Taran Noah Smith, who portrayed the youngest Taylor sibling, Mark, showcased his long, curly hair and beard during a podcast appearanceCredit: Instagram/bestshow4life

The former actor appeared on The Best Show with Tom Scharpling podcast, where he reminisced about his time on the popular sitcom.

Taran stepped away from acting after the show ended in 1999, when he was 16.

Fast-forward to today, at 41, the TV star looks drastically different, with long, curly brown hair and a beard, which he showcased in a video recording of the episode that circulated on Instagram.

Also during the sit-down, Taran reflected on his character’s dramatic transformation toward the end of the show’s nearly eight-year run.

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Mark transitioned from an innocent little boy who was regularly picked on by his two older brothers, portrayed by Zachary Ty Bryan and Jonathan Taylor Thomas, to a rebellious goth teenager.

Taran explained that his character’s makeover wasn’t his decision, but the head writer’s, who got the idea from his son, who dressed similarly.

It was the California native’s first public appearance since 2011, when he reunited with his on-screen family for an Entertainment Weekly spread.

Several of Taran’s former Home Improvement co-stars recently got together again for Tim Allen‘s ABC comedy, Shifting Gears.

Season 2 of the series premiered on October 1, featuring special appearances by Tim’s former castmates, Patricia Richardson, Richard Karn, and Debbe Dunning.

Taran opted not to return to the small screen after reaching stardom on the show and instead focused his efforts as a vegan restaurant owner and submarine piloting instructor.

In a 2021 interview, the former child star explained his decision to move on from acting after nearly a decade in the industry.

“I started Home Improvement when I was seven, and the show ended when I was 16. I never had the chance to decide what I wanted to do with my life. When I was 16, I knew that I didn’t want to act anymore,” the ex-TV personality said.

Taran shocked fans when he got married at 17 to vegan chef and entrepreneur, Heidi van Pelt, who was nearly 20 years his senior.

Their considerable age gap caused a stir in the media, but their romance was short-lived, as they split in 2007 after 6 years together.

Taran also had a complicated relationship with his family, mainly his parents, who he sued in 2001 after accusing them of withholding money from his trust fund.

They reconciled in 2015, and Taran later reflected on the situation, saying, “I’d gotten out of the teenage phase and realized my parents weren’t doing anything wrong but were trying to protect me.”

Taran’s character was often teased by his on-screen older brothers, portrayed by Zachary Ty Bryan and Jonathan Taylor ThomasCredit: Disney General Entertainment Con

Taran was seven years old when the show began and 16 when it endedCredit: Disney General Entertainment Con

Taran stepped away from acting after the show wrapped in 1999Credit: Disney General Entertainment Con