When Thomas reflects on his career today, he says that he doesn’t regret leaving fame in his past. “I never took the fame too seriously,” he said in a 2013 interview with People. “It was a great period in my life, but it doesn’t define me.”
But even though Thomas chose to step away from the spotlight, he remained interested in writing scripts, directing, and working behind the camera in some way. Exploring these avenues was an interest he held for years, in fact: In his 1996 interview with Premiere, he mentioned that he might want to have a career like Ron Howard’s. In time, he did indeed try his hand at directing: Thomas has directed several episodes of the comedy series “Last Man Standing.”
Thomas has also continued to stay connected to Hollywood — albeit in a very different way than he used to. Even though he hasn’t resumed acting full-time, he does spend time in Los Angeles, the beating heart of the entertainment industry. His life is a full one: “I watch a lot of movies, I hike, I stay up on shows and theater,” Thomas told People. While he does not want to focus solely on acting, he still has an appreciation for the industry that he grew up in, and the craft of acting itself.