Jake Lloyd talks mental health, reconnecting with Star Wars

Star Wars returning to theaters in 1999. with Phantom Menace introduced the audience to Jake Lloyd, who played the young Anakin Skywalker. While Hayden Christensen would play the character in later appearances, Lloyd eventually faded from the public eye. That changed when last Marchhe and his mother Lisa revealed that he had been in rehab for nearly a year after suffering a psychotic breakdown and being diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

Lloyd has since “accepted to continue treatment, therapy and my medication,” he said in a recent an interview with Clayton Sandel. After recently completing 18 months of rehab, the actor said he was able to come to terms with his schizophrenia diagnosis. For years, Lloyd had anosognosia, a neurological disorder that caused him to unconsciously deny his symptoms. Hitting such a low point allowed “good things” to happen, he continued, like “being honest about my treatment, my medication and living with my diagnosis.”

Before last year, the general assumption was the harsh criticism Lloyd received afterwards The phantom the release contributed to his downfall, much like how the backlash against Jar Jar Binks then almost caused it Ahmed Best to suicide. At the time, his mother denied these claims and revealed that her son’s father had a history of schizophrenia. For her and the rest of his family, Lloyd’s improvement is “a big relief. He’s getting a lot better than he was,” Lisa Lloyd added. “We’re all just thrilled that he’s doing as well as he is and that he’s working really hard at it.”

Overall, Lloyd says he’s feeling “pretty good” today and said he’s very grateful for the fan support he’s received over the past year. Public appearances are currently off, but it seems he still has affection for her Star Wars: he told Sandel that he had recently watched Ahsoka and take your time Star Wars: The Old Republic and the original Force Unleashed, and looking to play the sequel. And although he hasn’t seen any of the latest movies, he said he’s “looking forward to May Fourth with my mom.”

Sandel’s full story with Jake Lloyd can be read here.

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