Tom Cruise and the Jerry Maguire Kid: Viral Photo Mix-Up Explained

Nearly thirty years have passed since Jerry Maguire first hit cinemas, and Tom Cruise is still going strong at 63, with a career that’s only grown bigger. But while Cruise remains a household name, many still remember the young lad who played Ray Boyd and charmed audiences everywhere. Recently, a side-by-side snap from 1996 and 2025 has been making the rounds online, claiming to show how both Cruise and the kid have changed over the years.

Social Media Mix-Up: Who’s Really in the Photo?

The viral image has racked up tens of thousands of likes and shares, with plenty of punters convinced it’s a genuine then-and-now comparison. Some comments have taken the mickey, with one person asking, “How is he older than Tom Cruise now though?” and another joking, “The little boy had a bad life.”

But anyone who’s kept an eye on Hollywood news will spot the mistake straight away. The bloke next to Cruise in the recent photo isn’t the child actor from Jerry Maguire at all. It’s actually Christopher McQuarrie, a well-known director and frequent Cruise collaborator, especially on the Mission: Impossible films.

Jonathan Lipnicki: Life After Jerry Maguire

The real Ray Boyd was played by Jonathan Lipnicki, who’s now 35 and looks nothing like McQuarrie. Lipnicki was born in 1990, while McQuarrie was born in 1968, making him 57—still a few years younger than Cruise. Lipnicki’s own recent photos show he’s aged just fine, and he’s kept busy in the industry since his breakout role.

After Jerry Maguire, Lipnicki lent his voice to Dr. Dolittle and starred as George Little in Stuart Little and its sequel. He’s popped up in a handful of films and telly shows over the years, including Dawson’s Creek. More recently, he’s appeared on reality programmes like Celebs Go Dating, Worst Cooks in America, and The Joe Schmo Show. He also featured in the Western Cottonmouth and had a smaller part in the drama Sarah’s Oil, which came out last year.

Career Reflections and New Directions

Lipnicki has been open about his career ups and downs. In a chat with PEOPLE, he admitted,

I had some really good things that happened when I was younger. It’s totally fine to say I’m not where I want to be career-wise.

He added that he’s “all right” with where things stand, but he’s keen to keep moving forward:

Everything we’re doing in this life is nearly impossible. This is the thing I want to do for the rest of my life, and I think you just have to believe it’s going to happen and do everything in your power to take action in the right direction.

He reckons his adult career has been a mixed bag, saying,

I’ve had half-and-half in my adult career where there are some things that were really good and nobody saw them

and mentioned he’s become more selective, turning down about five films in the past year to steer things in a better direction.

Tom Cruise’s Influence on Lipnicki

Building a career in showbiz isn’t easy, but Lipnicki credits Cruise for inspiring his work ethic. He’s said that working with Cruise made him hustle harder, sharing,

He can make you believe in yourself like nobody else. He told me to keep creating. Whatever it is in my life create different things…I’m hustling and I’m a harder worker because I worked with Tom Cruise.

Lipnicki has also praised Cruise’s professionalism, calling him a role model:

If I could work half as hard as that guy works, I’ll be doing really well. I mean the professionalism and work ethic of that guy is insane – he’s someone I’ve always really looked up to. I always will look up to him, he’s always gonna be a role model because nobody I have ever met or worked with has had quite that energy where they are just… that laser focus is fascinating

Plenty of fans would be keen to see the pair share the screen again one day. For now, Lipnicki continues to chart his own path, picking his projects with care and keeping his sights set on what’s next.