NEWSJonathan Lipnicki Says Going 'Full Frontal' in 'Primetime' Made Him Feel 'Intimidated' But 'Courageous': 'It Gave Me a Lot of Anxiety'
Jonathan Lipnicki admitted he was intimidated by the prospect of going full frontal in 'Primetime.'
Sept. 29 2026, Published 1:44 p.m. ET
Jonathan Lipnicki revealed that a disturbing new film role left him wrestling with real unease.
"It's a crazy thing to wrap your brain around," the actor admitted to The Hollywood Reporter while discussing his part in the A24 film Primetime.
Lipnicki said his first reaction to learning one scene would require him to appear nude was amusement, followed quickly by a wave of dread.
He Called the Decision Nerve-Wracking
Jonathan Lipnicki ultimately pushed through his fear to embrace the role.
"I laughed, but it also gave me a lot of anxiety," he recounted. "As actors, we pray for dark material and for things we can really sink our teeth into."
The 35-year-old continued, "At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, 'Am I as courageous an artist as I say I am?' I had to answer that question, and I was courageous enough to take the plunge."
He'd Faced Nudity Onstage Before
While Jonathan Lipnicki has done full frontal in the past, this time it felt more challenging due to the character he was playing.
The former child star noted this wasn't his first time going nude in front of an audience.
"I've done full frontal before in a play, Lost Girls, so that part didn't bother me as much," he explained. "It was probably the combination."
The award-winning performer broke down exactly why this role hit differently: "If you're full frontal in another type of scene, it's different. The p-------- element by itself is terrifying to tackle, and then you add the nudity. Not only are you a p--------, you're a naked, full-frontal p--------. It was intimidating, to say the least."
Even after wrapping the scene, doubt crept in, as he recalled thinking to himself, "I really hope I made the right decision."
He added that his guiding philosophy stayed the same: "When it comes to art, if something scares you, most likely you should do it."
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His Character Targets a Rookie Decoy
Jonathan Lipnicki plays a predator caught in a sting operation.
In Primetime, Lipnicki plays a man using the online alias Crazyfrog73, one of several predators caught in an undercover sting.
His scene finds the character barging into a house and stripping down almost immediately. There, he is confronted by Skyler Gisondo's character, who is on his very first outing posing as a decoy.
The Film Reimagines a Canceled TV Show
'Primetime' is based on 'To Catch a Predator.'
Primetime centers on the making of To Catch a Predator and the sting operation that ultimately got the series pulled off the air.
Before this role, Lipnicki appeared in 2025's Sarah's Oil and spent his childhood as one of Hollywood's most recognizable young faces. The box-office prodigy first broke through as Ray Boyd in 1996's Jerry Maguire opposite Tom Cruise.
Lipnicki went on to star as George Little in Stuart Little and its 2002 sequel, along with roles in Dr. Dolittle, The Little Vampire and Like Mike.
