Jake Lloyd’s tragic fall from ‘Star Wars’ to prison in actor’s personal life

Former child star Jake Lloyd played young Anakin Skywalker in the first installment of the “Star Wars” prequel trilogy in 1999. More than two decades after his release, the young actor has grown into a 31-year-old adult, with a lot of drama surrounding his life.

The “Star Wars” trilogy hit theaters in the early 2000s, leaving the world obsessed with fictional planets, technologically advanced motor vehicles, and R2 technology.

At the center of these obsessions was the child star, and arguably the youngest pilot in television history, Anakin Skywalker. Playing the role of ten-year-old Skywalker, Jake Lloyd easily won the hearts of viewers, winning the young artist award for Best Supporting Actor.

Jake Lloyd at the Big Apple Convention in Manhattan on October 2, 2010. | Photo: Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

His early rise to fame made him a constant media target while growing up, leaving him on the tabloid headlines. These days, Jake Lloydstill is making headlines, but in a different light.

The star’s mother later assured everyone that Lloyd was still the kind and caring person he had always been before the illness hit.

Rather than making headlines as a beloved child star and hero in every youngster’s imagination, now 31-year-old Jake Lloyd has become known as the child star gone wrong.

Anthony Daniels and Jake Lloyd at the Star Wars Celebration in September 2007. | Photo: Flickr

THE TIME OF JAKE LLOYD ON “STAR WARS”

The former actorplayed the role of young Anakin Skywalker in the first of the prequel “Star Wars” trilogy titled “Star Wars: Episode 1 The Phantom Menace.”

“Star Wars” centered on the life of Anakin Skywalker, an orphan who, by a twist of fate, became a Jedi Knight of the Galactic Republic. Somewhere in between his quest to protect the Realms as the chosen one of the force, he embraced his dark side and ultimately became the evil Darth Vader.

In the first episode, show creator George Lucas introduced Skywalker as a young slave rescued by Obi-wan and Qui-Gon on Tatooine.

The payment followed the youth’s life under Obi-Wan’s tutelage. In subsequent versions, actors like Sebastian Shaw and Hayden Christensen took on the role of adult Skywalker.

PROFESSIONAL LIFE AFTER “STAR WARS”

Jake Lloyd’s run on “Star Wars” won him great popularity, so much so that he did no less than 60 interviews a day. the media attention and resulting bullying in forced schools the young boy stop acting after 1999 version.

Before finally turning his back on the spotlight, the youngster starred in two other films, “Madison” and “Die With Me”. The first remained unseen in cinemas until 2005.

He remained in the entertainment industry, however, making a documentary in 2012, which focused on Tibetan refugees in India.

The Anakin Skywalker actor then created a promo for a song Mallory Low released in 2012. Lloyd went on to study film and psychology at Columbia College in Chicago, but dropped out after a semester.

Actor Jake Lloyd as Skywalker in an episode of “Star Wars” | Photo: youtube.com/Entertainment Tonight

THE FALL OF A PROMISING STAR

In a way, Lloyds’ departure from Hollywood marked the start of his life of hardship and negative publicity. In June 2015, Jake Lloyd was arrested for reckless driving and drive without a license. Additionally, officers accused him of resisting arrest after fleeing from police at speeds above 100 mph in South Carolina.

Other feuds with the law involved Lloyd showing signs of erratic behavior, including beating his mother at her home. Due to his multiple charges, Lloyd spent several months in prison before being transferred to a mental institution for underlying health issues.

Jake Lloyd & Josh Broadbent at Sundance in Park City, Utah, USA in 2001 | Photo: Getty Images

JAKE LLOYD SCHIZOPHRENIA DIAGNOSIS

Jake Lloyd’sthe diagnosis of schizophrenia was made in June 2015, while the former actor was serving time in jail for his reckless driving charges. He spent ten months in the Colleton County Detention Center without a trial.

However, following the diagnosis, the “Star Wars” star was moved from prison to psychiatric detention in April 2016. The transfer files did not specify the length of her stay in the psychiatric facility.

His mother, Lisa, broke the news of his mental state to TMZ, confirming that the move to the facility had led to an improvement in her son’s mental health.

Jake Lloyd & Josh Broadbent at Sundance in Park City, Utah, USA in 2001 | Photo: Getty Images

UPDATE ON HIS MENTAL STATE

After a four-year battle with schizophrenia, Jake Lloyd’s mother issued a statement in January 2020, confirming that he still suffered from schizophrenia but was showing positive signs.

Lisa has revealed Lloyd’s official diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. In addition to the disease, he also suffers from anosognosia, which leaves him without a glimpse of his illness.

On the brighter side, the Anakin Skywalker role player has grown closer to his family, working tirelessly to facilitate his recovery. The star’s mother later assured everyone that Lloyd was still the kind and caring person he had always been before the illness hit.

OTHER STARS CHILDREN WHO HAVE PAIN

Sadly, Jake Lloyd is just one of the many favorite kid stars who have taken the dark road after reaching adulthood.

Among them, singer Justin Beiber, who was arrested in 2014 for DUI and drag races; singer Britney Spears, who sought psychiatric help following multiple blackouts and erratic protests in 2007; and beloved “Home Alone” actor Macaulay Culkin, who was arrested by police in 2004 for possession of marijuana, plus an additional charge of non-prescription drugs.

Britney Spears attends 102.7 KIIS FM’s Wango Tango on May 11, 2013 in Carson, California. | Photo: Getty Images

Other stars that go into this list are “Parent Trap” star Lindsay Lohan, “Family Ties” actor Brian Bonsall, Jeremy Jackson of “Baywatch”, actress Jodie Sweetin of “Full House”, Tatum O’Neal and Jaimee Foxworth.

Most of these stars have embraced lives of crime, drugs, or violent behavior, with an abundance of prison records to speak of their escapades. This recurring fall of former child stars raises the age-old question of the advisability of bringing minors into the limelight.