‘Jerry Maguire’ child actor reveals why he disappeared from Hollywood

He won hearts in Jerry Maguire and Stuart Little - then disappeared. Now, he’s revealed why we haven’t seen him in many movies since.

He delivered one of the most memorable child acting performances in the 1996 rom-com Jerry Maguire, but a few short years later, it seemed Jonathan Lipnicki had dropped off the planet.

The former child star, now 34, shot to fame making his feature film debut in the Oscar-winning movie with Tom Cruise. He played Ray, the five-year-old son of single mum Dorothy Boyd, played by Renée Zellweger.

His character was central to the story, softening Cruise’s Jerry and ultimately leading him to prioritise connection over career.

Jonathan Lipnicki won hearts the world over after starring in 'Jerry Maguire' opposite Tom Cruise.

He played the son of Renée Zellweger’s character.

Lipnicki went on to have prominent roles in the years afterwards, including in the 1999 feature film Stuart Little and its sequel, as well as The Little Vampire, Like Mike, The Single Guy and even a cameo on Dawson’s Creek.

But by 2005, Lipnicki, then aged 14, began a years-long break from appearing on screen. He dipped his toe back into acting in 2012, though has never quite reached the highs of his childhood fame.

Despite reports over the years he opted out of Hollywood, Lipnicki has given a rare new interview with E! News revealing why he really vanished from screens.

“I auditioned for a lot and I just didn’t get things,” he said.

“I think that’s OK to say, right? Acting is this thing that I’ve always loved, and sometimes it just doesn’t love you back. And there was a span where I didn’t work for a while and I was pursuing it.”

Lipnicki later starred opposite Hugh Laurie and Geena Davis in Stuart Little.

And so, Lipnicki said he focused on his education and bettering himself as an actor.

“I wasn’t, like, ‘I’m stepping away.’ I still had my agent, I’d audition here and there,” he continued.

“I played water polo in high school. I went to prom, I did all the normal stuff. I played youth league sports. So, yeah, [acting] wasn’t the only fixture in my life.

“What I [could] control is I wasn’t very good at acting and I had to go to acting class … I think I lost track of who I was. You’ve got to be in tune with who you are to act, and there was just a portion where maybe I just wasn’t very good, and I’m OK saying that. Maybe it’s a me thing, and I’m more than willing to work on myself all the time and take accountability and control for what I can control.”

Lipnicki made headlines back in 2021 when photos emerged of his surprisingly ripped physique, having quietly earned himself a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Lipnicki is passionate about health and fitness. Picture: Instagram

He said he was “extremely grateful” for his early success. Picture: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for JITC Hollywood Bureau

While he’s discovered other interests over the years, including fitness and producing, Lipnicki said his passion would always be acting.

“I got to find out from a young age what I wanted to spend the rest of my life pursuing, so I can never be mad at [setbacks],” he said.

“I’m always grateful for it. I am living more in the present now and really trying to focus on who I am now and what that’s going to look like in the future. But I’m extremely grateful for my past.”

Lipnicki is slowly returning to the spotlight, and is next set to star in The Joe Schmo Show, a US reality television hoax show in its third season in which he’ll portray an over-the-top, fictionalised version of himself.