Star Wars Child Star Jake Lloyd Shares Schizophrenia Health Update

Jake Lloydbest known for playing young Anakin Skywalker in 1999 Star Wars: Episode 1 — The Phantom Menaceoffered an update on his diagnosis of schizophrenia.

In an interview with Clayton Sandell published through Substack on Wednesday, Jan. 1, Lloyd, 35, shared that he’s been “pretty good for the last 20 years.” In late 2024, he revealed that he was currently living in a rehab facility after completing an 18-month stint at an inpatient mental health facility in Southern California.

Lloyd shared that he was diagnosed with anosognosia along with schizophrenia. According to Cleveland ClinicAnosognosia is a neurological condition that causes someone’s brain to fail to recognize their medical condition, often causing patients to avoid or resist treatment.

“I can now accept continued treatment and therapy and my medication.” Everyone was very supportive,” Lloyd described how he feels about taking medication. “I don’t have time to feel volatile. It’s pretty much a cushion.”

Lloyd was just 8 years old when he was cast as the young Anakin Skywalker Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. According to the former actor, his experience with Star Wars was overall positive.

“The experience I’ve had with the fans is immediately therapeutic,” he said. “It’s still therapeutic right now.” It is useful for people and healthy. It’s not something I shy away from.”

He added that he still has fond memories of the time of his creation A hidden threat. “I really appreciate the time he gave us,” Jake said. “I really appreciate it.

Jake’s mother Lisa Lloyd“, he told Sandell, “Jake is actually a lot better than he was. It is a great relief to me and the rest of his family. We’re all just thrilled that he’s doing as well as he is and that he’s working really hard at it. We appreciate that.”

Jake was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2016 after a 10-month stint in prison. In early 2024, Lisa opened up about Jake’s mental health issues, revealing that he was admitted to a mental health rehabilitation facility in March 2023 after suffering a psychotic break.

“Jake started having some problems in high school,” Lisa explained in March 2024, recalling how she first noticed a change in Jake’s personality. “He started talking about ‘reality’. He didn’t know if he was in this reality or another reality. I didn’t really know exactly what to say.”

After he was admitted to the inpatient program, Lisa shared that Jake was “doing a lot better than (she) expected. She shared: “He’s relating better to people and becoming a bit more social which is really nice. It’s like having more of the old Jake back because he was always incredibly outgoing until he became schizophrenic.”

Jake talked to Sandell in 2024 and said that he loves everything new Star Wars media that has been released in recent years, including new ones Star Wars: Ahsoka series on Disney+.