Star Wars Child Star Jake Lloyd Shares Schizophrenia Health Update

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

In an interview with Clayton Sandel published using Sub-stack On Wednesday, Jan. 1, Lloyd, 35, said he was “pretty good for the 20 years that have come to an end.” In late 2024, he revealed that he was currently living in a rehab facility after an 18-month stint in 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 in which a person's brain fails to recognize their medical condition, often causing patients to avoid or resist treatment.

“Now I can accept further treatment, therapy and my medication. Everyone has been very supportive,” Lloyd shared, describing how he feels about being on medication. “I don't have time to feel unstable. It's very cushioning.”

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

“The experiences I've had with the fans are immediately therapeutic,” he shared. “It's still therapeutic at this point. It's good for people and it's healthy. It's not something I shy away from.”

He added that he still has fond memories of his time in the making The Phantom Menace. “I really appreciate the time that was given to us,” Jake said. “I am very grateful.”

Jake's mother Lisa LloydSandell said, “Jake is actually getting a lot better than he was. It's a big relief for me and the rest of his family. We're all thrilled that he's doing as well as he is and that he's working really hard at it. We appreciate it.”

Jake was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2016 after spending 10 months in prison. In early 2024, Lisa discovered Jake's mental health issues and revealed that he was admitted to a mental health rehabilitation facility in March 2023 after suffering from a psychotic break.

“Jake started having trouble in high school,” Lisa explained in March 2024, recalling the first time she noticed a change in Jake's personality. “He started talking about 'reality'. He didn't know if he was in this reality or another. I didn't really know what to say to that.

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

Speaking to Sandel in 2024, Jake shared that he loves everything new Star Wars media that have come out in recent years, including the new Star Wars: Ahsoka episode on Disney+.