Jake Lloyd, Former Star Wars Child Star, Stuns Fans With Unrecognizable Look
Star Wars fans got a heartwarming surprise this week when former child actor Jake Lloyd made a rare public appearance. Lloyd, who played young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, was spotted hanging out with fellow prequel star Daniel Logan.
The photo was shared on Logan’s Instagram on Sunday, January 18. In the picture, Logan is smiling and flashing a peace sign while sitting next to Lloyd outside a restaurant. Logan captioned the post, “Just spent the day with my brother.”
Logan, who played the young Boba Fett in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, was joined by Ahmed Best, who played Jar Jar Binks, in commenting on the photo with a heart emoji. The sighting comes about a year after Lloyd gave a rare interview discussing his mental health. In January 2025, he spoke to author Clayton Sandell, saying he was doing “pretty good.” At that time, Lloyd had recently completed an 18-month stay at a mental health facility in Southern California.
Following his inpatient care, Lloyd reportedly moved to a new rehabilitation center that gave him more freedom in daily life. Reports said he was “basically free to come and go as he pleases,” a major milestone in his recovery. His mother, Lisa Lloyd, has been open about his condition to help raise awareness.
She explained that he struggles with anosognosia, a condition where a person’s brain cannot recognize illness. She shared that he first showed signs of schizophrenia at 19 years old.
Lloyd’s road to stability hasn’t been easy. In May 2023, he was arrested after stopping his car in the middle of a busy road. His mother described the incident as a “psychotic break” in an interview with Scripps News.
Reflecting on his treatment, Lloyd told Sandell he had to hit “rock bottom” before he could fully commit to getting help. He said he had to “honestly take part in treatment, honestly take your meds, and honestly live with your diagnosis.”
Meeting fans has also helped Lloyd feel better. He described interactions with supporters as “immediately therapeutic” and expressed gratitude for the Star Wars community, saying, “I really do appreciate the time that’s been taken on us. I’m very appreciative.” His mother also commented on his progress, saying he is “actually getting so much better than he was” and added, “It’s a big relief for me and the rest of his family. We’re all just thrilled that he’s doing as well as he is, and that he’s working really hard at it.”
Jake Lloyd retired from acting in 2001, shortly after his work on the Star Wars prequels. His role as Anakin Skywalker made him one of the most recognizable children in the world at the time. The Phantom Menace told the story of Jedi discovering a young slave boy believed to be the Chosen One, and starred Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn, Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Natalie Portman as Queen Padmé Amidala.
Before Star Wars, Lloyd appeared in the 1996 holiday film Jingle All the Way as the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger. The comedy followed a father’s frantic quest to buy a sold-out Turbo Man action figure before Christmas.
Daniel Logan has stayed active in the Star Wars community, voicing Boba Fett in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and frequently attending conventions. The Star Wars universe continues to expand on Disney+, bringing back many prequel-era actors, including Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor. This revival of prequel stars has given fans a warmer reception to the films and their cast members.
We would love to hear from fans about their favorite moments watching The Phantom Menace or Jingle All the Way, so please share your stories in the comments.
