By Rachel Marlowe


Pumping iron: Child star Jonathan Lipnicki is all grown up. The formerly cute, bespectacled actor pulls no punches in showing us he wants to be taken seriously as a leading man


He was the epitome of cuteness with his spiked white blonde hair and round spectacles as the precocious six-year-old star of Jerry Maguire.

But Jonathan Lipnicki appears to have spent just as much time hitting the gym hard as he has acting - and he's got the muscles to prove it.

The 21-year-old actor first hit the big screen alongside Renee Zellweger and Tom Cruise in the 1996 blockbuster, but now he's displaying an extremely impressive physique, set to rival many young Hollywood hot shots.


While his appearance is better than ever Lipnicki is actually stepping behind the camera for his latest project billed as the producer Broken Roads.

But while he does not appear in the film his is ensuring his sculpted body doesn't got to waste and is promoting the project with a series of shirtless photos showing his chiseled new physique.

After his early big break he went onto star in other popular family films such as Stuart Little and The Little Vampire.

But after enjoying fame as a child star Lipnicki made the decision leave the lime-light and pursue life as a 'normal' teenager.

Body buff: Lipnicki is a dedicated Brazilian martial arts student. Jiu Jitsu is a combat sport that focuses on grappling and ground fighting. The actor is aiming for a purple belt in the sport


He went back to school in his home town and graduated with his childhood friends.
Earlier this year the actor admitted on U.S. morning show The View that he was teased by other children at school.

There is little chance of that now, as according to his website, Lipnicki currently competes in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

'I'm a blue belt, almost purple,' he recently tweeted.

In the photos, the actor flexes his bulging biceps and rock-hard abs while doing resistance training, lifting weights and pull-ups. He also shows off a Star of David tattoo on his torso.

After 15 years out of the lime-light, the child star is now re-entering Hollywood with a starring role in a new independent movie, For the Love of Money, alongside Edward Furlong.

'I'm ready to come back and I'm ready to work,' he said.'People are always going to have this image of me as five years old so it's my job to work hard, go into the right rooms and blow them away.'

These photos will put paid to any confusion on that front we're sure!


Double take: Lipnicki's bulked up appearance today is a far cry from the diminutive, nerdy, much loved kid in films such as Stuart Little and Jerry Maguire



source:dailymail