Jake Lloyd Talks Mental Health, Reconnecting with Star Wars

star wars’ With a return to theaters in 1999 The Phantom Menace Jack introduced the audience to Lloyd, who played the young Anakin Skywalker. Although Hayden Christensen would later play the role, Lloyd eventually faded from public view. That’s when it changed last marchHe and his mother Lisa revealed that he had been in rehab for about a year after a psychotic break and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

Since then, Lloyd has “accepted constant treatment, and therapy, and taking my medication,” she said in a recent the interview With Clayton Sandel. After recently completing his 18-month rehab stint, the actor said he was able to recognize his schizophrenia diagnosis. For years, Lloyd had anosognosia, a neurological condition that caused him to unconsciously deny his symptoms. Hitting such a low point has allowed “good things” to happen, she continued, like “participating in treatment honestly, living with my medication and my diagnosis.”

Before last year, the general assumption was that Lloyd was after harsh criticism of the phantom The release contributed to his breakup, as did the backlash against Jar Jar Binks that almost drove it Ahmed Best At the time of his suicide, his mother denied these claims and revealed that her son had a paternal history of schizophrenia. For her and the rest of her family, Lloyd’s improvement is a “huge relief. She’s getting a lot better than she was,” added Lisa Lloyd. “We’re all thrilled that she’s doing as well as she is and she’s working really hard at it.”

Overall, Lloyd says he’s feeling “pretty good” these days, and says he’s very grateful for the fan support he’s received over the past year. Public appearances are currently off the table, but it seems he still harbors affection Star Wars: He tells Sandel he saw him recently Ahsoka and give time Star Wars: The Old Republic and original The Force Unleashed, And looking to play the sequel. And though he hasn’t seen any recent movies, he said he’s “looking forward to May Fourth with my mom.”

Sandel’s full story can be read with Jake Lloyd here.

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