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Former child actor Jake Lloyd, who played a young Anakin Skywalker in 1999 “Star Wars: Episode I – Phantom Menace”, shared positive information about mental health after being diagnosed with schizophrenia.
During an interview with Star Wars: The Chronicles co-writer Clayton Sandell, Lloyd, now 35, and his mother, Lisa Lloyd, discussed his progress since he recently completed an 18-month inpatient stay at a Southern California psychiatric facility.
Speaking to Sandell previously for a Scripps News article, Lisa said Lloyd entered treatment after suffering a “full-blown psychotic breakdown” during which he pulled over on a three-lane road in March 2023.
According to Sandell, Lloyd is now living in a new rehabilitation center where he continues his treatment but is free to come and go as he pleases. During their conversation, Lloyd told Sandel that he was feeling “pretty good.”
Former Star Wars child actor Jake Lloyd has shared his mental health after being diagnosed with schizophrenia. (PA Images via Getty Images)
“I can now accept continued treatment, therapy and medication,” he said. “Everyone was very supportive.”
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In addition to schizophrenia, Lisa previously told Sandel that Lloyd also has a neurological condition known as anosagnosia, which, according to the National Institutes of Health, “is a neurological condition in which the patient is unaware of their neurological deficit or psychiatric condition.”
Lisa said Lloyd’s condition stopped him wanting to take medication because he didn’t believe he was sick.
Speaking to Sanel, Lloyd described his medication as “very mitigating.”
“I don’t have time to feel unstable,” he said.
Lloyd played a young Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace. (CHRIS PIZZELLO/AP POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The former actor said “good things” came from the time he spent in treatment.
Lloyd told Sandel that he believes getting to “bottom” is necessary to “engage in treatment honestly, take medication honestly and live with your diagnosis honestly.”
Lisa previously shared that Lloyd has struggled with his mental health since high school. She told Sandel she is optimistic about the progress he has made since his diagnosis and treatment.
“Jake is actually getting a lot better than he was,” she said. “This is a great relief for me and the rest of his family. We’re all just thrilled that he’s doing as well as he is and that he’s working really hard at it. We appreciate it.”
Lloyd rose to international fame at the age of 8 when George Lucas cast him as Anakin in The Phantom Menace. Before appearing in Star Wars, Jake debuted together Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1996 holiday film Jingle All Way.
Before retiring from acting in 2001, Lloyd’s last on-screen role was in the sports drama Madison, in which he co-starred with Jim Caviezel.
Lloyd and his mother, Lisa, shared their optimism about his progress. (Getty Images)
During her interview with Scripps News, Lisa explained that Lloyd, who starred in The Phantom Menace as a child, did not push him away from acting or contribute to his mental health issues.
“It still would have happened,” Lisa said, sharing that his father’s side of the family had a history of schizophrenia.
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She added: “I believe it was genetic. And his psychiatrist also agrees that Jake was going to become schizophrenic.”
Lisa also noted that when the movie Star Wars. got backlash after his release in 1999, she hid any negativity from her son.
“I was protecting him from the backlash. He was just riding his bike outside, playing with his friends. He didn’t know. He didn’t care,” she said. “Everyone is very worried about this. And it annoys me because Jake was a little kid when it came out and he didn’t experience all of that because I didn’t let him on the Internet.”
Lloyd was 8 years old when George Lucas cast him as Anakin Skywalker. (David Paul Morris/Getty Images)
Lloyd told Sandel that he is a fan of the Star Wars franchise and fondly remembers his time working on The Phantom Menace.
He said he recently played the classic Star Wars video games Star Wars: The Old Republic and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.
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“I want to play The Force Unleashed II,” he tells me. “I just beat the first one.
Lloyd said he hasn’t watched the Star Wars movies or TV shows lately, but added that he plans to catch up on the special day celebrated by fans of the franchise around the world.
“I’m holding on The fourth of May with mom,” he said.
Lloyd said his experience interacting with fans was “immediately therapeutic.” (Michael Tulberg/Getty Images)
Although Lloyd no longer attends Star Wars conventions, he said his experience interacting with fans is “immediately therapeutic.”
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“It’s still therapeutic now,” he added. “It’s good for people and it’s healthy. It’s not something I would shy away from.”
Lloyd also thanked fans for their continued support health problems.
“I really appreciate the time that was spent on us,” he said. “I’m very grateful.”
Fox News Digital’s Janelle Ash contributed to this report.
