‘Star Wars’ Star Jake Lloyd Gives a Promising Update on His Mental Health Struggles
At just ten years old, Jake Lloyd became a household name when he starred as a young Anakin Skywalker in 1999’s Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.
Thrust into the limelight at a young age, the actor found himself caught in the crossfire as fans of the original Star Wars trilogy lashed out at the first prequel, displaying many of the same toxic traits that would come to define sections of the fanbase.
Photo: Toronto Sun
Just as quickly as Lloyd appeared on the national stage, however, he disappeared.
Lloyd’s Mother Shared His Story Last Year
In an interview with Scripp News last year, Lloyd’s mother, Lisa, gave an update on her son’s life, explaining that Jake had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and had struggled with his mental health for years.
“Jake started having some trouble in high school,” Lisa told Scripps News. “He started talking about ‘realities.’ He didn’t know if he was in this reality or a different reality. I didn’t really know exactly what to say to that.”
Photo: Yahoo
After graduating high school, Jake was set to attend Columbia College in Chicago. Unfortunately, his mental health struggles (he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the time) kept him from attending class regularly.
“He missed a lot of classes, and he was telling me that people were following him,” Lisa said.
After a run-in with the law that forced the young actor to spend 10 months in prison, Lloyd suffered a “full-blown psychotic break” last year when he tried to run his car off the road. He was taken to a hospital and eventually checked into a mental health rehabilitation facility for an 18-month stay.
Photo: Daily Beast
“He’s doing much better than I expected,” Lisa explained. “He is relating to people better and becoming a little bit more social, which is really nice. It’s kind of like having more of the old Jake back because he has always been incredibly social until he became schizophrenic.”
Jake Gives a Promising Update
Having now completed his 18-month stay, Jake and his mother spoke to author Clayton Sandell, who co-wrote Star Wars Timelines, to give an update on the actor’s journey.
When asked how he was feeling, Jake responded, “Pretty good, considering these 20 years of time that have come to an end. I can now accept taking on continued treatment, and therapy, and my meds. Everyone’s been very supportive.”
Photo: Lucasfilm
Looking back at his time in rehab, Lloyd emphasized that “good things” came out of his stint. Hitting “rock bottom,” he explained, was necessary to “honestly take part in treatment, honestly take your meds, and honestly live with your diagnosis.”
“I don’t have the time for feeling volatile,” he continued, referring to his medication. “It is very much a cushion.”
Still a ‘Star Wars’ Fan
Despite speculation to the contrary, Lloyd’s mother was clear last year that the vitriol surrounding The Phantom Menace was not the cause of Jake’s mental struggles.
“It would have happened anyway,” she explained last year.
“I protected him from the backlash. He was just riding his bike outside, playing with his friends. He didn’t know. And he didn’t care,” Lisa said. “Everybody makes such a big deal about that. And it’s rather annoying to me because Jake was a little kid when that came out, and he didn’t really feel all that stuff because I didn’t let him online.”
In his latest update, Lloyd revealed that he had recently watched Ahsoka and had played Star Wars: The Old Republic and Star Wars: Force Unleashed. He still has fond memories of making The Phantom Menace and says that interacting with fans has been nothing but positive.
Image: Lucasfilm
“The experience I’ve had with the fans is immediately therapeutic,” he said. “Right now, it’s still therapeutic. It’s helpful for people and healthy. It isn’t something I’d shy away from.”
While Jake has yet to see any of the new Star Wars films, the actor has plans to catch up.
Photo: Lucasfilm
“I’m holding out for May the Fourth with my mom,” he says.
His mother agrees. “It will be a Star Wars day, as always,” she says. “But I think this year, we’re getting t-shirts.”
You can read the full interview with Jake and his mother at Efforting With Clayton Sandell.
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below. One of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon! Also, thanks for reading!
