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“I’m so grateful. I worked on some really quality projects as a kid and I was really lucky for the opportunities I got. Right now, am I trying to make a transition? Yeah. But I was definitely very fortunate for the stuff I did as a kid and I can’t hate on that because, you know what? It gave me a start in something that I want to do for the rest of my life.” Jonathan Lipnicki enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame when he stole hearts for his portrayal of the adorable tyke Ray Boyd in the blockbuster movie Jerry Maguire. He was just five years old at the time.

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After making his film debut in Jerry Maguire alongside actors Tom Cruise and Renée Zellweger, Jonathan Lipnick continued to build on his acting career before taking a break to return to school. Recently, he’s found himself back in the spotlight on reality television shows including Celebs Go Dating and Worst Cooks in America. Here’s a closer look at where Jonathan Lipnick’s been and where he’s headed next.

A Blockbuster Film Debut

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Jonathan William Lipnicki was born on October 22, 1990 in Westlake Village, California to parents Joseph Lipnicki and Rhonda Rosen. At the age of five, he made his film debut in the 1996 Tom Cruise movie Jerry Maguire playing Ray Boyd, the son of Renée Zellweger’s character, Dorothy Boyd.  Prior to Lipnicki’s landing this breakthrough role, he’d only done two commercials. 

According to Lipnicki, he was initially passed over for the part of Ray, but was brought back in two weeks into filming when the actor who’d been cast wasn’t working out. “I was on the list of people that had already been seen, but I had auditioned for a casting associate, not even the casting director, so my agent fought for me. He was the head of youth talent at an agency, and he said, ‘Don’t see anyone else we represent, just see this one kid. I swear to God, I have Ray Boyd sitting in my office.’ Luckily they eventually let me come in and I auditioned again. That day, they flew me to Arizona where they were shooting a lot of the football stuff, and I read for Tom [Cruise] and Cameron [Crowe] in Tom’s trailer, and that was it,” he told The A.V. Club. 

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Jerry Maguire was a critical hit as well as a commercial one, and Lipnicki was also praised for his work on the film. In 1997, he won the 1997  “Best Performance in a Feature Film -- Actor Age Ten or Under” Young Artist Award. And while Lipnicki can’t remember much of the experience, he’s said he does recall that everyone was easy to work with and friendly. To this day, Tom Cruise remains his favorite actor.  

Life After Jerry Maguire

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Lipnicki followed up Jerry Maguire with appearances on television shows including The Single Guy, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Dawson’s Creek and Meego. He returned to the big screen with Stuart Little and its sequel in 1999 and 2002, respectively. Lipnicki also had starring roles in The Little Vampire (2000) and Little Mike (2002) opposite Bow Wow. 

Those appearances made Lipnicki especially popular among pre-teen audiences while also adding to his growing list of awards and honors. Lipnicki was nominated for several Young Star, Young Artist, and Saturn Awards, winning for Stuart Little and The Little Vampire.  Lipnicki also claimed the eighth spot on E’s Cutest Child Stars: All Grown Up and the 13th spot on VH1’s list of the “100 Greatest Kid Stars.” 

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While Lipnicki had a bright future ahead of him, he decided to step out of the limelight in his teen years out of the desire for normalcy. During this time he attended public school and enjoyed all of the things many child actors miss out on, including everything from going to the prom to playing on a high school sports team. 

After graduating from high school, Lipnicki picked up where he left off with appearances in several independent and short films., He was on Jamie Kennedy’s Blowin’ Up, When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, and Motherlover. He also appeared as himself on episodes of Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, Secret Girlfriend, Glenn Martin DDS, Drop the Mic, Celebs Go Dating, and Worst Cooks in America. Lipnicki is committed to continually honing acting skills, and has studied with the legendary Robert Carnegie at the world-renowned acting school and repertory theater Playhouse West.

When he’s not acting, Lipnicki is busy training in Mixed Martial Arts, and remains open to the possibility of fighting professionally if he ever has the time. “I’m been pretty busy filming and I would need to put off a certain amount of time to really train for a fight and be in amazing cardio shape and really work on my striking more. I’m not saying no and I’m not saying yes,” he said.

Lipnicki is also well-known for giving back. He’s been involved with charities including the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Starlight Children's Foundation, the NBA’s Read to Achieve program, Pets and their Stars, and Nutz for Mutts. In fact, Lipnicki's charitable work started at a young age: At just 10, he was named one of the Diabetes Research Foundation’s “Heroes of 2001” for his efforts on behalf of the organization. 

Lipnicki's career has had its share of ups and downs in the two decades since Jerry Maguire, but Lipnicki remains appreciative of the experience. “I think that I get some great doors that are open to me and some interesting opportunities and times that I get to read for some great filmmaker because of my past work,” he said. 

And while some people do assume that he’s not right for a part based on his child actor history, Lipnicki chooses not to dwell on it. “I’m grateful for the doors that are open, and I’m willing to capitalize on every opportunity and prove myself. It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” he continues.