Star Wars child star Jake Lloyd shares health update on schizophrenia

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

In an interview with Clayton Sandell posted via Substack on Wednesday, January 1, Lloyd, 35, said it was “pretty good, considering these 20 years have ended.” He revealed in late 2024 that he was currently living in a rehabilitation center after completing an 18-month stay at an inpatient mental health facility in Southern California.

Lloyd shared that in addition to schizophrenia, he was diagnosed with anosognosia. According to the Cleveland Clinic, anosognosia is a neurological condition that prevents a person’s brain from recognizing their medical condition, often leading patients to avoid or resist treatment.

“I can now agree to continue my treatment, therapy and medication. Everyone has been very supportive,” Lloyd shared, describing how he feels while taking his medication. “I don’t have time to feel insecure. It really is a cushion.

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

“The experience I had with the fans was immediately therapeutic,” he shared. “At the moment, it’s still therapeutic. It is useful for people and healthy. It’s not something I would be afraid of.

He added that he still has fond memories of his time doing the Phantom Menace. “I really appreciate the time,” Jake said. “I am very grateful.”

Jake’s mother, Lisa Lloydtold Sandell, “Actually, Jake is so much better than he was. This is a great relief to me and the rest of his family. We are all delighted that he is doing so well and working very hard at it. We appreciate that.

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

“Jake started having problems in high school,” Lisa explained in March 2024, remembering the first time she noticed a change in Jake’s personality. “He started talking about “realities”. He didn’t know if he was in this reality or a different reality. I didn’t really know how to respond to that.

After being admitted to the inpatient program, Lisa shared that Jake was “doing much better than (she) expected.” She shared: “He has better relationships with people and is becoming a little more social, which is really nice. It’s a bit like finding old Jake, because he was always incredibly sociable until he became schizophrenic.

Speaking to Sandell in 2024, Jake shared that he loves all the new things Star Wars media that have been published in recent years, including the new Star Wars: Ahsoka series on Disney+.