Home Improvement Star Zachery Ty Bryan Just Can't Stay Out Of Trouble
This article includes discussion of domestic assault.
Zachery Ty Bryan has been struggling to find his footing ever since ABC cancelled "Home Improvement" back in 1999. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, in June 2023, the former child star admitted that work didn't come by easily after the beloved sitcom concluded. According to Bryan, no matter how well he did in an audition, Hollywood executives would always pass him over for roles because they believed he was just a TV actor. While his professional struggles persisted, Bryan's personal life worsened. In 2020, the troubled star made headlines after being arrested for allegedly strangling his then-girlfriend, Johnnie Faye Cartwright.
Records obtained by Us Weekly detailed how Bryan faced a felony charge for strangulation as well as two serious misdemeanor charges. Later, the outlet also reported that the "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" actor had pleaded guilty to menacing and fourth-degree assault as part of a plea deal. In his THR interview, Bryan claimed that Cartwright, whom he continued to date after the incident, had actually hurt herself on purpose and then hatched a story to "ruin his career" all because she was scorned by the "Home Improvement" star's desire to end their relationship.
In addition to his partner inciting the physical assault, Bryan also complained that the media had sensationalized their fight which, according to him, was mostly limited to a loud verbal argument. Over the following years, the former child actor faced at least two more arrests for alleged domestic abuse in addition to racking up numerous DUIs too.
Zachery Ty Bryan was also accused of scamming people
In November 2025, Zachery Ty Bryan was arrested along with his fiancée, Johnnie Faye Cartwright. According to a Facebook post shared by Lane County Sheriff's Office, she allegedly tried to "run over Bryan" with a pickup truck while the couple was near a camping spot. Even more disturbingly, their three children were in the vehicle while she made the failed attempt and drove the car into a ditch. Meanwhile, the once-popular child actor who completely vanished from Hollywood was arrested for violating the no-contact order he had received on account of a past domestic violence case. Police officers also found both of them to be "impaired" at the time. It marked Bryan's sixth arrest since 2020.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the "Home Improvement" star, who looks very different today, also found himself in legal trouble numerous times for engaging in sketchy business activities. At one point, Bryan convinced several people to invest considerable sums of money in crypto tokens for a company called Producers Market. However, when Bryan was selling the idea, Producers Market hadn't actually come to a decision on whether they wanted to release crypto tokens in the first place.
In a statement shared with THR, the company asserted that it was not aware Bryan was selling a virtual product that didn't exist and had sent him a stern cease-and-desist when they learned of this fact. The actor also allegedly made $50,000 through a scam involving fake agricultural contracts. And he was once ordered to pay over $100,000 for failing to return $60,000 he owed to an investor for a movie project.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.