May 16 will mark exactly 25 years since the premiere of the film “The Phantom Menace”, which launched a new trilogy of George Lucas’ series. Jake Lloyd starred in the part of the saga that was not very popular among the fandom. The young actor played Anakin Skywalker, a character who would soon turn into the most popular villain in the history of pop culture – Darth Vader.
Jake Lloyd played Anakin Skywalker in “The Phantom Menace” and disappeared
Lloyd was chosen for the role from over three thousand other children. He has already created several creations. He appeared in the films “Changing the Fate”, “Apollo 11”, “Christmas Rush” and “Virtual Obsession”, but it was the opportunity to play the role of a young Jedi knight destined to fall to the Dark Side of the Force that brought the boy international fame.
The actor recently turned 35. Despite his enormous contribution to the Star Wars universe, he did not become a big movie star or a sought-after celebrity after the success of the film with his participation. In an extensive interview with Scripps News, the actor’s mother, Lisa Lloyd, told the story of her son, who has been struggling with mental problems for years.
“Jake started having problems in high school,” she recalled, describing when she noticed the first big change in her son. “He started talking about different ‘realities’. He didn’t know which one he was in. I had no idea how to react to it,” she told the portal.
The mother of the film’s Anakin Skywalker talked about her son’s problems
Lisa took her son to a doctor who suggested that Lloyd might be suffering from bipolar disorder. Treatment was attempted, but nothing worked. Despite this, Jake graduated from high school and continued his studies at a private art school. Unfortunately, he soon began to confide in his mother that he felt that someone was following him. Due to his anxiety, he missed subsequent classes. He also said that he sometimes meets people with “black eyes” who look at him closely.
“He didn’t say then that he heard voices. But he did,” Lisa points out in an interview. After a semester and a half, Jake left college. Subsequent meetings with therapists and psychiatrists allowed for the final diagnosis to be made. Jake suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. “When they finally told him what was wrong with him, it made him depressed. It was very difficult,” recalls the actor’s mother.
Jake began to deny the disease and stopped taking his medications. Instead, he took drugs. He soon landed in prison for 10 months, and then another blow awaited him. In 2018, Jake’s sister, Madison, who was two years younger than me, died unexpectedly in her sleep. “He couldn’t cope with it,” Lisa says in an interview with Scripps News.
Lloyd’s biggest crash occurred recently, in 2023. “It happened in the car. He stopped and screamed, there was a lot of screaming,” says Lisa, who called for help. Jake was taken to hospital and a few months later transferred to an inpatient unit at a mental health rehabilitation center.
Thanks to therapy, the actor is doing better today. “He’s coping with all this much better than I expected. He’s able to connect with people, he’s becoming more sociable. He’s starting to get his old self back,” says Lisa.
When it comes to Star Wars, Jake’s mother notes that her son is still a huge fan of the franchise. He recently watched the series “Ahsoka” on Disney+ and was delighted. “People think he hates these movies, but he really loves them,” Lisa points out. Jake’s mother emphasizes that it is not true that the negative reactions to “The Phantom Menace” contributed to her son’s abandonment of acting and his breakdown. “It would have happened anyway,” Lloyd’s mother says firmly.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
