For an entire generation of moviegoers, Jonathan Lipnicki is still the little boy behind oversized glasses who stole scenes in Jerry Maguire and later became the face of the Stuart Little films. But three decades can change the way an actor sees the roles that made him famous. For Lipnicki, the latest chapter of his career appears to be about deliberately moving as far away from that childhood image as possible.

The actor has never actually stopped working. After becoming a familiar face in Hollywood as a child, he continued auditioning and acting, while also taking classes and doing theatre. In a 2025 interview with PEOPLE, Lipnicki acknowledged that his adult career had not reached the level of his childhood success, but said he remained convinced that his best work was still ahead of him.

That persistence has now brought the 35-year-old actor back into the spotlight with Primetime, the Robert Pattinson-led psychological crime thriller. Lipnicki made a rare red-carpet appearance at the Los Angeles premiere on September 23, marking his first such appearance in about two years. He plays a predator caught in the investigation at the centre of the film, a role dramatically removed from the family-friendly characters that first made him famous.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Lipnicki said actors “pray for dark material” that gives them something substantial to explore. He viewed taking on Primetime as a test of whether he was willing to take artistic risks, particularly given the intensity of the role, which includes a nude scene. He also described accepting the part as a way of letting go of the pressure he had carried since childhood to avoid making mistakes or disappointing people.

That shift is significant considering how early Lipnicki entered the industry. He was only five when he made his debut as Ray Boyd, the son of Renée Zellweger's character in Cameron Crowe's Jerry Maguire, opposite Tom Cruise. He subsequently played George Little in Stuart Little and its sequel, along with appearances in Dr Dolittle, The Little Vampire and Like Mike.

The transition into adulthood, however, was not always straightforward. Lipnicki admitted that he auditioned frequently without landing many roles and once described acting as something he has always loved even when it did not seem to love him back. He has also spoken about becoming more selective and concentrating on improving his craft instead of expecting every project to become another Jerry Maguire or Stuart Little.

Now, Lipnicki appears less interested in recreating the success of his childhood and more focused on establishing himself on his own terms. His recent comments suggest that the question is no longer how to recreate the career of the six-year-old who became famous overnight, but what kind of actor he wants to be at 35.

That makes Primetime an especially fitting project for his return to the spotlight. The film, inspired by the making of NBC's To Catch a Predator, places Lipnicki in unsettling territory alongside Pattinson, Merritt Wever and Skyler Gisondo.