Zachary Ty Bryan was one of three boys cast on the ’90s sitcom “Home Improvement.” He played the eldest of three sons. Tim Allen played his dad.
Bryan was one month away from his 10th birthday when the show aired. It ran for 8 seasons, and ended as he turned 18. In that time, he had fame and money, but he credits his parents with helping him also have a somewhat normal life. Even with his Hollywood success, he continued to play soccer on the weekends and attend school whenever possible.
For years, it seems that Bryan had managed to successfully transition from child star to life as an adult who was no longer in the spotlight. He married his high school sweetheart, and they had four children together. They lived in a multi-million dollar mansion in Newport Beach, California. He had several acting jobs and guest star roles before transitioning behind the camera as a producer and executive producer. He also appeared on conservative media outlets like FOX News and The Daily Wire. He gave the impression of a rich, successful, Christian family fan.
In recent years, Bryan’s image has crumbled. The first inkling the public had of his downward spiral came in 2020. In October of that year, Bryan was arrested for felony strangulation in Oregon. He had been seeing the alleged victim, Johnnie Faye Cartwright, for two years while still married to his wife. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bryan claimed that it was really Cartwright who instigated the physical struggle in an argument that got out of hand when they had both been drinking too much. In fact, he blames much of his downward spiral on alcohol, although he stops short at claiming to be an alcoholic.
Bryan is now divorced and living in Oregon with Cartwright, who he also married. The couple also recently had twins, but that does not mean that he’s exactly starting over with no trace of scandal following him.
In the early days of Bitcoin, Bryan invested a portion of his “Home Improvement” earnings, and it paid off big for him. He admits to making millions on his investment. Then, he decided to invest in other projects, like movies and an agricultural technology startup called Producers Market. The problem is that he didn’t just invest his own money. He also convinced friends and acquaintances to invest their money, and he wasn’t exactly honest when he explained the investments.
In the early days, Producers Market considered selling tokens to fund the growth of the company, but in 2019, they decided against it. Meanwhile, without the knowledge of Producers Market, Bryan sold thousands and thousands of dollars of tokens in the company, money the investors will never get back. John Collins, a spokesperson for Producers Market, told The Hollywood Reporter, “Mr. Bryan misrepresented our company without our knowledge, participation or permission. When we found out, we immediately issued a cease-and-desist demand to him.” Collins added, “This activity is unacceptable and not a reflection of our mission to support the well-being of farmers and our food systems.”
While many of the friends who got scammed by Bryan in the Producers Market token situation didn’t invest enough money to feel like pressing charges, a man named Cameron Moore feels differently. Moore didn’t invest in Producers Market, but he did invest $60,000 in a movie. He claims that the contract he signed made it clear that he would get his money back yet he never did. On April 11, 2023, the judge in the case awarded Moore $108,940.67.
Many of Bryan’s family, friends and former colleagues spoke to The Hollywood Reporter and expressed concern for Bryan. Allen, his former TV dad, said, “I know Zach’s heart. He’s got to figure out his own way.”
Meanwhile, Bryan’s sister, Ciri Bryan, said her brother “threw everything that he worked so hard for and just torched it in all aspects of his life. I feel like he 100 percent knows the difference between right and wrong but, with addiction, that goes out the window.”
Do you think Bryan will be able to get his life back on track, or do you think his downward spiral will continue?
