Former baby actor Jake Lloyd, who performed younger Anakin Skywalker in 1999’s “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace,” shared a optimistic psychological well being replace after being recognized with schizophrenia.
Throughout an interview with “Star Wars: Timelines” co-author Clayton Sandell, Lloyd, now 35, and his mom Lisa Lloyd mentioned his progress after he not too long ago accomplished an 18-month keep at an inpatient psychological well being facility in Southern California.
Whereas talking with Sandell beforehand for an article in Scripps Information, Lisa shared that Lloyd entered therapy after experiencing a “full-blown psychotic break” throughout which he turned his automobile off on a three-lane highway in March 2023.
Based on Sandell, Lloyd is at the moment dwelling in a brand new rehabilitation heart the place he’s persevering with to obtain therapy however has the liberty to come back and go at will. Throughout their dialog, Lloyd advised Sandell that he was feeling “fairly good.”
“I can now settle for taking over continued therapy, and remedy, and my meds,” he mentioned. “Everybody’s been very supportive.”
As well as to schizophrenia, Lisa beforehand advised Sandell that Lloyd additionally has a neurological situation referred to as anosognosia, which, in accordance with the Nationwide Institute of Well being, “is a neurological situation by which the affected person is unaware of their neurological deficit or psychiatric situation.”
Lisa mentioned Lloyd’s situation stopped him from desirous to take medicine as a result of he didn’t imagine he was sick.
Whereas talking with Sanell, Lloyd described his medicine as “very a lot a cushion.”
“I don’t have the time for feeling unstable,” he mentioned.
The previous actor went on to say that “good issues” have come from the time he has spent in therapy.
Lloyd advised Sandell that he believed hitting “all-time low” was mandatory to be able to “truthfully participate in therapy, truthfully take your meds, and truthfully stay along with your prognosis.”
Lisa beforehand shared that LLoyd had struggled along with his psychological well being since he was in highschool. She advised Sandell that she was optimistic concerning the progress that he had made since receiving his prognosis and starting therapy.
“Jake’s really getting so significantly better than he was,” she mentioned. “It’s an enormous reduction for me and the remainder of his household. We’re all simply thrilled that he’s doing in addition to he’s, and that he’s working actually exhausting at it. We admire that.”
Lloyd rose to worldwide fame on the age of 8 when George Lucas solid him as Anakin in “The Phantom Menace.”
Previous to showing within the “Star Wars” film, Jake made his performing debut alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger within the 1996 vacation movie, “Jingle All of the Method.”
Earlier than retiring from performing in 2001, Lloyd’s final on-screen function was within the sports activities drama “Madison,” by which he starred reverse Jim Caviezel.
Throughout her interview for Scripps Information, Lisa clarified that Lloyd starring in “The Phantom Menace” as a baby didn’t immediate him to stroll away from performing or contribute to his psychological well being points.
“It could have occurred anyway,” Lisa mentioned, sharing that there was a historical past of schizophrenia on his father’s aspect of the household.
She added, “I imagine that it was genetic. And his psychiatrist additionally agrees that Jake was going to grow to be schizophrenic.”
Lisa additionally famous that when the “Star Wars” movie acquired backlash after its launch in 1999, she shielded any negativity from her son.
“I protected him from the backlash. He was simply using his bike outdoors, taking part in along with his associates. He didn’t know. He didn’t care,” she mentioned. “All people makes such an enormous deal about that. And it’s relatively annoying to me as a result of Jake was a bit of child when that got here out, and he didn’t actually really feel all that stuff as a result of I didn’t let him on-line.”
Lloyd advised Sandell that he’s a fan of the “Star Wars” franchise and fondly remembers his time making “The Phantom Menace.”
He mentioned that he has not too long ago performed the traditional “Star Wars” video video games “Star Wars: The Previous Republic” and “Star Wars: The Power Unleashed.”
“I wish to play The Power Unleashed II,” he tells me. “I simply beat the primary one.
Lloyd mentioned that he hasn’t watched any “Star Wars” motion pictures or TV reveals these days however added that he plans to make amends for a big day marked by followers of the franchise worldwide.
“I’m holding out for Might the Fourth with my mother,” he mentioned.
Although Lloyd now not attends “Star Wars” conventions, he mentioned that his experiences with followers are “instantly therapeutic.”
“Proper now, it’s nonetheless therapeutic,” he added. “It’s useful for folks and wholesome. It isn’t one thing I’d draw back from.”
Lloyd additionally expressed his gratitude for followers’ continued help amid his well being struggles.
“I actually do admire the time that’s been taken on us,” he mentioned. “I’m very appreciative.”
Fox Information Digital’s Janelle Ash contributed to this report.