Child star Jonathan Lipnicki looks ‘nearly unrecognisable’ in new interview

Jonathan Lipnicki in Stuart Little (1999). The actor has captured the hearts of fans again as he sat down for a rare interview in the weekend. Photo / Supplied

The 33-year-old actor, most known for his roles in Stuart Little, Jerry Maguire, and The Little Vampire, turned heads as he joined Joey, Matthew and Andrew Lawrence for a rare interview on their Brotherly Love podcast.

Jonathan Lipnicki was barely 10 by the time he had captured his young fans’ hearts in outsized roles he had scored in Hollywood. Born and raised in the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, the actor had successfully navigated a career on screen around the turn of the century and quickly made a name for himself.

However, Lipnicki has been following quite an unconventional path since. The Stuart Little star has revealed that he’s left his home state of California and expanded his interests as he settles into Oklahoma City. Since arriving in the Sooner State around three months ago, he already feels settled and is enjoying the change in scene.

When asked about his reasoning for leaving the Golden State, Lipnicki explained that it wasn’t due to a change in heart regarding his career. Rather, a change in personal circumstances and technological development led him to consider trying something different.

Lipnicki’s parents had left California years ago and moved to Colorado, leaving him with no other family members in LA. Furthermore, the changes happening in Hollywood over the past decade, exacerbated by Covid-19, have been transformative for those who work in the film industry.

Working in Hollywood no longer requires someone to be physically in Hollywood for casting calls and work; many actors now reside outside of the city and only visit when filming is scheduled. So with this in mind, Lipnicki decided to pack up and find a new home. He packed whatever he could fit into his Jeep Wrangler, sold off the rest of what he owned, and made the journey east to Oklahoma.

“I just hit a point where I realised I was self-taping everything,” he explained to the Lawrence brothers on their podcast. “Everything I do is either Zoom or self-tape anyway. I wanted to see what it’s like to live somewhere else.”

As seen on YouTube, Jonathan Lipnicki has been rocking the long hair recently.

The move has been a great experience so far for Lipnicki. Living nearby are three of his dear childhood friends, and he’s become actively involved in the growing local film community. The star has said that he is still acting, but he now also teaches acting in Oklahoma City and is a producer for Buffalo 8 Productions.

For Lipnicki, he says that the move couldn’t have gone any better. His only concern has been the threat of tornadoes, with the tornado siren tests in the weekends providing an eerie experience.

Along with the exciting changes happening in his work life and personal life, Lipnicki is also rocking a look that has made him “nearly unrecognisable” as one fan commented.

In the video published to YouTube on December 8, Lipnicki can be seen with long, dark hair that sits on his shoulders and accompanies his beaming smile. However, Lipnicki teased to the Lawrence brothers that he will be cutting the locks and sporting a new hair style soon. Apparently, it’s time for them to go.

Overall, Lipnicki has made it clear that he is sticking by acting forever despite challenges to the industry.

“You hear a lot of negative stories [about child actors in Hollywood], but there’s nothing I would take back at all. I love it and I found out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life when I was 5 years old,” he explained.

“It’s the best job in the world. I’m willing to stress over this forever.”

Fans were happy to be given new content and quickly stormed into the comment section to offer their praises to the actor.

“Immediately hit like before I even started because I know this is going to be epic!” said one loyal fan as they stumbled across the video.

“Wow he is so grown now!!!! He was the cutest little kid!” exclaimed another fan as they were taken back by Lipnicki’s maturity.

“I am having a hard time believing that is him,” wrote one person, although they shared that it was Lipnicki’s iconic “facial expressions” that made it clear it was him.

Watch the full interview with Jonathon Lipnicki on the Brotherly Love podcast, hosted by Joey, Matthew and Andrew Lawrence below.