Jake Lloyd's health improves, and he still loves Star Wars

For years, Jake Lloyd, who played little Anakin Skywalker in Episode I: The Phantom Menace, has been remembered as the young actor who was bullied into quitting acting. But with the 25th Anniversary of the movie coming up this May, many fans have been curious about Lloyd, who hasn't been seen for quite some time.

Now, Jake Lloyd's mother, Lisa Lloyd, has set the record straight about her son's life after the movie and how much, if any, role being in Star Wars played in the mental health struggles he's faced over the years. Lisa Lloyd puts a lot of misconceptions to rest while explaining, in detail, how Jake's been battling paranoid schizophrenia and how the sudden loss of his sister took a toll on him.

According to Lisa, reactions to the movie didn't play any role in Jake quitting acting, and “It would have happened anyway" because paranoid schizophrenia runs in his father's side of the family. Jake still loves Star Wars. He has been watching the new live-action shows, including Ahsoka, and even has an Ahsoka Tano action figure that his mom gifted him for his birthday last week. He shared:

"He loves all the new Star Wars stuff. People think Jake hates Star Wars. He loves it."

- Lisa Lloyd

Lisa Lloyd also explained that she protected Jake from the negative reactions to the movie, and Jake didn't have much idea of what was being said about his performance. He had a very normal childhood despite being in Star Wars.

"I protected him from the backlash. He was just riding his bike outside, playing with his friends. He didn't know. He didn't care."

- Lisa Lloyd

She adds that it's "annoying" that people continue to think he quit acting because haters bullied him.

"People say he quit because of Star Wars. Well, that's not true. It didn't have anything to do with Star Wars. It had more to do with our family. "

- Lisa Lloyd

She says that Jake is on the mend after he's getting treatment for his condition, and she's optimistic about his future. He still wears his Star Wars merchandise with pride and loves being a part of it. If everything goes well, she would love for her son to return to acting and do something Star Wars-related in the future. For now, Jake's just trying to get better.

We wish Jake Lloyd nothing but strength and healing. We hope that the next time we see him, he'll be in a much healthier place. As a fan of the prequels, it's a relief to know that the negative reactions and online bullying had little to no effect on Jake and that he cherishes his time in Star Wars and continues being a fan. Jake and all others who are struggling with their mental health deserve all the love, understanding, and patience in the world.

We would love to see Jake Lloyd at Star Wars Celebration in the future and wish him nothing but the best.

Jake Lloyd, May the Force be With You.