Jonathan Lipnicki, the former child star of Jerry Maguire and Stuart Little, has taken one of the boldest roles of his career in A24’s Primetime. He plays a man known only as Crazyfrog73 who is caught in a predator sting house while hoping to meet a boy.
The scene calls for full nudity and dark humor. Lipnicki told The Hollywood Reporter he felt anxious but decided to take the plunge, asking himself if he was as courageous an artist as he claims to be.
Director Lance Oppenheim personally called him to promise the casting was not a stunt. Oppenheim had kept Lipnicki’s name in his phone notes for years and worked closely with him on the character.
Lipnicki stars opposite Robert Pattinson, who plays TV host Chris Hansen. Primetime premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 5, 2026.
The role mirrors a turning point in his life. Lipnicki left Los Angeles, gave away his belongings and drove across the country in his Jeep Wrangler before settling in Oklahoma, where he teaches acting and produces films. He called it his Eat, Pray, Love moment and said he no longer worries about what people think.