Jake Lloyd is Feeling ‘Pretty Good’ in New Update from Clayton Sandell

Jake Lloyd recently sat down with Clayton Sandell to discuss his recent mental health struggles and provide an encouraging update as the Anakin Skywalker actor looks ahead to 2025.

Looking back:

• Last year, Jake Lloyd’s mother, Lisa, gave an update on his tumultuous life that included a diagnosis of schizophrenia and years of treatment and recovery.

• Amidst the interview with Sandell, she dismissed the notion that bullying from The Phantom Menace caused a psychological break for Jake - a common theory amongst fans over the years

• At the time of the interview, Jake was 10 months into an 18 month inpatient program at a mental health rehabilitation facility and was progressing very well

Speaking out:

• Recently, Jake reached out to Sandell directly saying that he wanted to give a personal update on his journey. He has completed the aforementioned 18 month program and now lives in a different treatment facility where he is essentially free to come and go as he pleases.

• He says he has recently been able to accept his schizophrenia diagnosis thanks to the discovery of anosognosia, a neurological condition that caused him to be unconsciously in denial about his symptoms for years.

• Regarding Star Wars, Jake describes his fan experiences as “immediately therapeutic” and although he is currently not appearing at fan events or conventions, he wants to ensure fans know how appreciative he is for all of the vocal support that he’s received.

Looking forward:

• Jake’s mother expresses a huge relief for how well Jake is doing and applauds him for how hard he’s been working.

• In addition to going to the movies with his mom (something that was impossible until recently), Jake has been avidly playing classic Star Wars video games like The Force Unleashed and The Old Republic.

• Jake and his mother recently finished watching Ahsoka and are intending to get back into the more recent movies and shows on May the Fourth…this year, they’re getting t-shirts.

You can check out the full interview now on Clayton Sandell’s substack as well as his earlier chat with Jake’s mother, Lisa, from last year.

Lisa Lloyd/Clayton Sandell