Lloyd rose to fame as a child actor after being cast by George Lucas in 1997, at just eight years old, to portray the young Anakin Skywalker in the 1999 film Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace.
But the spotlight wasn’t kind to Lloyd, who, before this, had a role in Jingle All The Way alongside Arnold Schwarzneggar. He faced a significant amount of bullying and criticism.
At 35, Lloyd shared with Blackbook in 2012: “Other children were really mean to me. They would make the sound of the lightsaber every time they saw me. It was totally mad. My entire school life was really a living hell.”
He also discussed the overwhelming media attention, saying he had to do “60 interviews a day” and mentioned: “I’ve learned to hate it when the cameras are pointed at me.”
This pressure prompted him to exit the acting world, with his last film being Madison in 2001.
His life outside Hollywood has been tumultuous, marked by a 2015 arrest in South Carolina for reckless driving, driving without a license, and resisting arrest.
Lloyd was jailed until April 2016 when he was transferred to a psychiatric facility. His mother, Lisa Lloyd, disclosed in recent years that he was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2008 but was showing more improvement than anticipated.
Lloyd has now spoken out for the first time in years about his current situation.
In a conversation with writer Clayton Sandell on his Substack blog, Lloyd was asked about his well-being and responded: “Pretty good, considering these 20 years of time that have come to an end.
“I can now accept taking on continued treatment, and therapy, and my meds. Everyone’s been very supportive.”
Lloyd’s mother later clarified to Sandell that the “20 years” did not refer to the duration since his diagnosis, as reported by PEOPLE.
Sandell’s recent discussion with Lisa Lloyd revealed that Jake had completed an 18-month residency at a mental health facility in Southern California. As of 2025, he is now at a rehabilitation center where he is undergoing treatment but can largely “come and go as he pleases”.
According to his mother, Lloyd is doing well and seems to have accepted his diagnosis. Sandell explains that this diagnosis is called ‘anosognosia’, a neurological condition described by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) as causing a ‘lack of awareness’ about one’s condition.
Reflecting on his lowest point, Lloyd mentioned it was necessary for him to “honestly take part in treatment, honestly take your meds, and honestly live with your diagnosis”.
“I don’t have the time for feeling volatile,” he says, noting that his medication provides a significant “cushion”.
Despite the criticism he had once faced, Lloyd remains a fan of Star Wars.
He explained that engaging with Star Wars fans at conventions is “immediately therapeutic”.
“Right now, it’s still therapeutic. It’s helpful for people and healthy. It isn’t something I’d shy away from,” he stated, expressing his gratitude.