Jonathan Lipnicki was once one of Hollywood’s most recognizable child stars. Nearly three decades later, a rare red-carpet appearance has thrust him back into the spotlight — and left fans stunned by his transformation.For millions of moviegoers, Lipnicki remains the bespectacled little boy who starred opposite Tom Cruise and Renée Zellweger in “Jerry Maguire.”He quickly became a familiar face in “Stuart Little,” “The Little Vampire,” and “Like Mike.” But as those childhood roles slipped further into the past, Lipnicki largely disappeared from Hollywood’s mainstream spotlight.Now 35, the former child star has returned to a Los Angeles red carpet for the first time in two years. The striking new photos reveal just how dramatically his life has changed since audiences first fell in love with him — and raise the inevitable question of what happened during all those years in between.

Lipnicki stepped out September 23 for the Los Angeles premiere of “Primetime.” According to E! News, Lipnicki had not been seen on a red carpet for two years before the outing. Dressed in a vivid green suit and black shirt, Lipnicki finished his premiere look with a purple pocket square.”Primetime” director Lance Oppenheim joined Lipnicki for photos at the premiere, where the actor was later seen posing closely with a female companion who appeared to have accompanied him to the event.

His companion complemented his colorful look in a purple dress as they smiled for the cameras together. For fans who still remembered Lipnicki primarily as the adorable little boy from his blockbuster movies, his grown-up appearance was hard to ignore.”Young dude is seriously aging well,” one Instagram user commented. Another wrote, “Guy went through a whole huge transformation.” The photographs also prompted questions about what had brought Lipnicki to the “Primetime” premiere after so much time outside the mainstream spotlight.