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The Star Wars movies continue to be a vital part of the pop culture landscape, with generations growing up on the galaxy far, far away. While fans are looking forward to upcoming Star Wars movies and shows, many are also looking back to the previous trilogies and their stars. Luckily we just got a sweet update about actor Jake Lloyd, who famously played Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace. And he may have turned a corner in his mental health journey.
Lloyd has been open about his mental heath struggles, specifically related to issues with his schizophrenia diagnosis. While his mother said this would have happened even if he didn’t have his Star Wars role (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription), the fandom is invested regardless. Over on writer Clayton Sandell’s Instagram, he posted an update about the former child actor, offering:
I spent part of my weekend catching up with Jake Lloyd and his mom Lisa. I’ve been honored to help share their story over the last few years. (see my Substack post, LINK IN BIO). As you may know, they’ve faced a lot of ups and downs managing Jake’s schizophrenia diagnosis. I’m really happy to share, however, that today Jake is doing better than I’ve ever seen him. He’s engaging, curious, and funny. We had a great conversation about video games and editing programs—two of his big interests.
Jake Lloyd’s schizophrenia diagnosis understandably provided some major struggles for both him and his family. Star Wars fans in particular have been wishing him well, despite the many years that have passed since he played Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace. And it looks like the 37 year-old former actor is doing much better thanks to a new treatment plan.
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In the same post, Sandell went on to share more about the Jingle All The Way star’s mental health journey. He shared that there’s more exciting news coming soon, offering:
In June, he completed a long-term program that has done wonders for him—helping him stay on track with medication, therapy, and other life skills. Progress is measured in days sometimes, but along with his mom, who continues providing extraordinary and unwavering support, there are many reasons to be optimistic about Jake’s future. More to come…
Talk about a heartening message. After hearing about Lloyd’s struggles, it’s comforting to know that he’s seemingly found a treatment program that is helping him deal with the challenges of schizophrenia. Hopefully more good news comes soon. You can see the post, complete with a photo of the former actor, below
Jake Lloyd was the subject of backlash after The Phantom Menace hit theaters back in 1999, leading to figures like Ron Howard defending him to journalists. Since then fans have soften to the prequel trilogy, while following along with the former actor’s health issues. Hopefully that “more to come” happens sooner rather than later.
The Star Wars franchise is currently streaming in its entirety over on Disney+. The space opera will return to the big screen with Starfighter on May 28, 2027. Since it not on the 2026 movie release list, folks will have to be patient while waiting.