Star Wars child star Jake Lloyd makes rare appearance after three years with message for fans

Star Wars' Jake Lloyd has given fans a brand-new message years after his last appearance.

Lloyd is probably one of the most well-known child actors in modern times after being cast in 1997 to play young Anakin Skywalker in the 1999 hit, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace.

At the time, Lloyd was just eight when George Lucas gave him the job, and due to it being a prequel to Hayden Christensen’s Anakin story, comparisons were ultimately made.

But Star Wars wasn’t his only gig, as he previously starred in Jingle All The Way with Arnold Schwarzneggar.

However, his recognition as a child star wasn’t what you’d expect.

Instead, he told Blackbook in 2012: "Other children were really mean to me. They would make the sound of the lightsaber every time they saw me. It was totally mad. My entire school life was really a living hell."

Over a decade later in 2015, Lloyd was arrested in South Carolina for reckless driving, driving without a license and resisting arrest.

He was then sent to a psychiatric facility a year later and soon after, his mom, Lisa Lloyd gave a rare insight into her son's life, as she claimed he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2008.

But in 2025, he spoke with Clayton Sandell for an interview on his blog on Substack, where he revealed he was doing better thanks to ‘continued treatment, and therapy, and my meds’.

It was also reported he had been transferred to a new rehabilitation centre where he's 'free to come and go as he pleases'.

Now, the 37-year-old actor is back on Instagram with a fresh life update as he posted a video with fellow star, Daniel Logan, 39 - who played Boba Fett in the 2002 prequel Attack of the Clones.

The Wednesday (October 14) post saw the pair say to his fans: “A little message from Jake and [me].”

“We want to send a special message to each and every one of our Star Wars fans to let you know, ‘thank you so much.'”

“I really appreciate that time,” the former child star added, referring to being 8 years old while filming the first prequel movie.

The pair later uploaded another video on Thursday, where Logan addressed the backlash and bullying the pair experienced after acting in the franchise.

“Since [we were] kids we’ve been [subjected] to bullying from adults name calling online and in person,” Logan wrote in the caption.

“The limelight has been hard for both of us as kids,” Logan added, noting that it impacted their lives.

“I’ve only brought positivity to this franchise and I’m trying to bring Jake back to the SW universe only [to] get backlash,” he added. “We are [subjected] to hate and negativity for the rest of our lives. They say it [comes] with the territory but an 8 year old and 13 year old have no idea what that truly means”

But despite Lloyd’s life and the backlash he received as a kid actor, he’s still a Star Wars fan.

He revealed that seeing Star Wars fans at conventions is 'immediately therapeutic'.

“Right now, it's still therapeutic. It's helpful for people and healthy. It isn't something I'd shy away from.” he said, adding that he's 'very appreciative'.