FORT LAUDERDALE _ Movie fans may best remember Jonathan Lipnicki as the adorable kid with the spiky blond hair who spouted funny one-liners in the 1996 movie "Jerry Maguire."
Lipnicki continued acting throughout his childhood and now into adulthood, having starred in two "Stuart Little" movies and other films, theater productions and TV shows (including "The Jeff Foxworthy Show".) The 27-year-old's latest project is the short film "Ace," which premieres Saturday, Feb. 24 at Cinema Savor, 503 SE 6th St., in Fort Lauderdale.
The black-and-white film follows a close group a college friends. Two guys in the group contend with hiding their feelings and attraction for one another from the group. Lipnicki plays Russ, one of the friends in the circle.
"I think people generally are going to relate to it off the bat," Lipnicki said of the 18-minute film. "The ones who are more closed off, I hope it opens their minds. I hope they look at relationships and love and sexual fluidity differently."
A question-and-answer session with Lipnicki , plus the film's director and writer Jordan Gear and producers Ashley Kate Adams and Jim Kierstead will follow the screening.
Tickets to the event cost $10 and will benefit Latinos en Accion, a non-profit group dedicated to HIV/AIDS outreach and prevention among Hispanics in Broward.
We caught up with Lipnicki recently via phone from his Los Angeles home and asked him about the film, his upcoming projects and his first break out hit, "Jerry Maguire."
'ACE'
Lipnicki said he knew right away that he wanted to be in the film after reading the script, which he heard about from Kate Adams, whom he had worked with before on another film.
"It was positive and forward thinking ... exploring acceptance and sexual fluidity," he said. "I wanted to jump on it because I thought it was a lovely piece."
The movie, which has little dialogue, shows Ace, played by Lukas Gage, wrestling with his emotional and physical connection to Z, played by Michael Felix.
"It tugs at positive emotions and the love of friendship and the love of finding a new love and also sadness and loss," said Lipnicki who hasn't seen the final cut of the film. "I am excited to see it. It's one of those things that I don't want to say too much. I want people to go in there with an open mind."
UPCOMING ROLES
Lipnicki stars in the Verizon comedy series "Mr. Student Body President" that was released last year. He plays "a high school-kind-of-out cast, a weirdo." He also completed filming "Andover," which stars Jonathan Silverman as a genetics professor who repeatedly clones his dead wife. And ABC viewers may have seen him compete in "Battle of the Network Stars" on the TV Kids team last summer.
While he is busy with various projects, the transition from child actor to adult actor "has been really difficult but all the things in life worth doing are," he said. "I want to do this for the rest of my life, and I know it isn't the easiest occupation."
DREAM PROJECTS
When asked about his dream role or project, Lipnicki said "I am open to a lot right now. It's hard to pick one. There are so many things that I would love to do."
Although making movies is his "original love, I am looking to do more TV now," he said.
He'd like to be on a good TV series, "either a single-camera comedy or a one-hour drama." He's a big fan of the NBC comedy "The Good Place" as well as Netflix series "Mindhunter" and "House of Cards," which stars Robin Wright.
"I think Robin Wright is amazing. I really would like to work with Robin Wright one day." He added that he would also love to work with Michael Shannon. "He is so intense."
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Lipnicki enjoys hanging out with his friends, family and his dog, a Cairn terrier.
"It's really a normal life, nothing crazy," he said with a laugh. "I wish I was less boring."
If the actor looks buffed in "Ace," it's because he trains in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and kick boxing. And he's been lifting weights since he was 20.
THAT 1996 TOM CRUISE MOVIE
On acting in "Jerry Maguire," Lipnicki said he remembers "bits and pieces."
"There are some memorable things that stand out like the people I worked with," said Lipnicki, who played Ray, Renee Zellweger's son. He also had memorable scenes opposite Tom Cruise.
Does he keep in touch with them?
"I haven't seen anyone in a while," he said. "We are busy doing our own stuff."
Lipnicki said he remembers his lines from the Cameron Crowe flick because fans often recite them when they meet him. His most famous line is "Did you know that a human head weighs eight pounds?" which became part of movie trivia.
Looking back on that movie, he described the experience this way: "It's more a feeling, that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life."
"Ace" will screen at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 at Savor Cinema. For more information, call 954-525-3456 or visit fliff.com
