From his breakout role in "Jerry Maguire," starring Tom Cruise, Jonathan Lipnicki has risen through the ranks as one of Hollywood's leading young actors ... and all by the age of 14! His next movie, a coming-of-age feature, "When Zachary Beaver Came to Town," has already been honored with the Crystal Award at the Heartland Film Festival.
Lipnicki was recently seen in "Stuart Little 2" (2002), reprising his role from the 1999 number-one holiday hit, "Stuart Little," for Columbia Pictures. Lipnicki co-starred with Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie in these films, both of which were based on the classic 1945 children's book by E.B. White. Other film credits include "Like Mike" (2002) - starring multi-platinum rap artist Lil' Bow Wow - which opened to mass audiences worldwide and was a huge success; and the New Line Cinema feature, "The Little Vampire" (2000), based on the best-selling books by author Angela Sommer-Bodenbrug.
Of course, Lipnicki is probably best known for his feature film debut at the age of 5, in the TriStar box-office hit, "Jerry Maguire," directed by Cameron Crowe. After appearing in several television commercials, Jonathan was cast as Ray Boyd, the intelligent, sensitive son of secretary Dorothy Boyd, played by Renee Zellweger. Lipnicki's on-screen portrayal of Ray earned him the 1996 Best Child Performer of the Year award from the National Broadcast Film Critics Association.
As we go to press, Jonathan is off to Vietnam, then to London to shoot "Knights of Impossingworth Park," with co-star Ron Perlman.
One of Jonathan's most important roles hasn't required any acting ability at all. In addition to being a successful film star, Jonathan is also a chiropractic patient, and has been for many years. He was first adjusted a few months after birth and continues with weekly visits. Chiropractic is how Jonathan maintains his health, and it's how he lives, as he explained in a recent exclusive interview:
"If you want to perform at your ultimate best, if you want to be the best you can be in sports and in school, mentally, physically - chiropractic is the way, because everything has to do with your nervous system, and if you can clear up any subluxation in there, you'll be pretty much OK."
Chiropractic is a conscious choice for Jonathan, even when filming in foreign countries. When filming "The Little Vampire," Jonathan had an accident that resulted in an injury to his back. While he was encouraged to take drugs for the injury, Jonathan insisted on chiropractic instead:
"We found a German chiropractor, because I sprained my back, and I just went about every week after that. I was perfectly fine after two weeks, but I still continue to go, because I like it."
Jonathan is part of a public relations campaign launched by Drs. Theresa and Stuart Warner as part of their "Kids Day America" program. Lipnicki will be featured in public service announcements and on a variety of talk shows, with the intent to tell the public about the importance of chiropractic for children.
"Jonathan is a role model to children all around the world," noted Dr. Stuart Warner. "Children look up to him. When children see that he gets adjusted and lives the wellness lifestyle and takes responsibility for his health, they're going to want to follow in his footsteps and do that as well, so he's going to make a major impact in inspiring children to live healthier. Obviously, the children are going to be excited and motivated, but also, the parents are going to see the importance of care for their children as well, so the message must reach them as well.
"He also shares the same concern that children today are getting sicker every year in our society. Obesity is on the rise, and asthma, and allergies, and diabetes, and he wants to be part of the solution. We want to see in the next upcoming year that through all of our efforts, through Kids Day America, and with Jonathan as the celebrity spokesperson, that we will be able to get the truth about the importance of chiropractic care for children to the world."
Jonathan's "star power" is expected to garner wide media attention and help chiropractors increase their visibility and credibility in their communities, as the health care providers who can help children reach their full potential. As a celebrity spokesperson, Jonathan has the ability to tell the world about the value of chiropractic.
