Jake Lloyd, who starred as the rebellious, podracing soon-to-be-padawan Anakin Skywalker in “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace,” has opened up about his struggle with schizophrenia that, in part, caused him to step away from acting shortly after the “Star Wars” prequel released in 1999.
After a recent 18-month stint in a Southern California inpatient mental health facility, Lloyd said he is feeling “pretty good”. He is still receiving care from a different treatment center, but can come and go from there as he pleases.
“[I’m feeling] pretty good, considering these 20 years of time that have come to an end,” Lloyd said. “I can now accept taking on continued treatment, and therapy, and my meds. Everyone’s been very supportive.”
Lloyd emphasized that “good things” have come from his time in rehabilitation. Although he at one point hit “rock bottom,” he feels it was a necessary step to “honestly take part in treatment, honestly take your meds, and honestly live with your diagnosis.
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“I don’t have the time for feeling volatile,” the child actor said of taking his medication. “It is very much a cushion.”
In March of last year, Lloyd’s mother, Lisa, dispelled rumors that the poor reception of “The Phantom Menace” was the reason her son quit acting. She instead pointed to his 2008 schizophrenia diagnosis as part of the cause.
“It would have happened anyway,” Lisa said. “I believe that it was genetic. And his psychiatrist also agrees that Jake was going to become schizophrenic.”
“I protected him from the [‘The Phantom Menace’] backlash,” she continued. “He was just riding his bike outside, playing with his friends. He didn’t know. He didn’t care. 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.”