Star Wars actor Jake Lloyd breaks silence on schizophrenia ordeal

Former child actor said hitting ‘rock bottom’ was something he believed needed to happen in order to take part ‘honestly’ in treatment and therapy

Jake Lloyd, who played the young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, has shared some insight into his wellbeing as he continues to receive treatment at a rehabilitation centre for schizophrenia.

In March last year Lloyd’s mother, Lisa Lloyd, disclosed that he had been struggling with mental health issues for the past 15 years, which had culminated into a “full-blown psychotic break” in 2023.

Now 35, Lloyd recently completed an 18-month stay at an inpatient mental health facility in California, author Clayton Sandell – who previously interviewed Lisa – reported from his Substack account.

Sandell said he received a call from Lisa shortly before Christmas telling him that Lloyd wished to speak with him directly.

She also revealed that Lloyd is still receiving treatment at a new rehab centre but is “basically free to come and go as he pleases”.

Lloyd’s progress is in part due to his overcoming a neurological condition, anosognosia. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it is “extremely common” with conditions such as schizophrenia, and prevents the brain from recognising one or more health issues – meaning the sufferer can be resistant to treatment.

Lloyd, who was just eight years old when he starred in the 1999 film opposite Liam Neeson and Ewan Mcgregor, told Sandell that he was feeling “pretty good” and “can now accept taking on continued treatment, and therapy, and my meds. Everyone’s been very supportive.”

He added that hitting “rock bottom” was something he believed needed to happen in order to “honestly take part in treatment, honestly take your meds, and honestly live with your diagnosis”.

Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker in ‘Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace’ (Lucas Films)

Around a year before his schizophrenia diagnosis in 2008, Lloyd had been missing classes at his private arts school and had told his mother that people were following him.

He reported seeing people with “black eyes” staring at him on the street and said he would have late night conversations with Jon Stewart through his TV.

Lloyd left college to live with his mother in 2008, and after a series of psychiatric appointments was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

Lisa said her son would sometimes self-medicate with illicit drugs or quit taking his medication as he attempted to manage his condition.

Matters continued to escalate, and Lloyd was arrested in 2015 after leading police on a multi-county chase as he drove from Florida to Canada before crashing his car. He was forced to spend 10 months in prison as there were no available beds at local hospitals.

The death of Lloyd’s sister, Madison, from natural causes aged 26 in 2018 had a profound impact on him. His mother said he then suffered a “full-blown psychotic break” in 2023 after he tried to turn their car off in the middle lane of a motorway, at which point he was taken to hospital before being admitted to rehab.

Last year, Lisa rejected suggestions that the negative reception to Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace had led to her son’s mental health breakdown.

In the new interview, Lloyd confirmed he was still a fan and had fond memories of shooting the film and interacting with fans.

“The experience I’ve had with the fans is immediately therapeutic,” he said. “Right now, it’s still therapeutic. It’s helpful for people and healthy. It isn’t something I’d shy away from.”

Lisa told Sandell that Lloyd’s progress was “a big relief for me and the rest of the family – we’re all just thrilled that he’s doing as well as he is, and that he’s working really hard at it”.

Lloyd said he is hoping to have a Star Wars day with his mum on May the Fourth, an unofficial commemorative day celebrating the franchise that riffs on the famous phrase, “May the force be with you.”