Former American actor Jake Lloyd has been transferred from his jail cell into a mental health facility in South Carolina, after being diagnosed with schizophrenia on Monday (April 11).
The 27-year-old, best known for portraying the child-version of Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, has fallen on tough times as of late, after being jailed last year for leading police in a publicized high-speed car chase.
Speaking to celebrity news website TMZ, his mother, Lisa, said “authorities reached the conclusion he needed help more than punishment, because he suffers from schizophrenia … thus the move.”
The troubled lad’s mother added that she spoke with her son last week and “can already see an improvement in Jake’s personality,” after undergoing psychaitric treatment.
As of this writing, there’s still no timetable for the former actor’s release, but his family wants him to take all the time he needs to get healthy.
Lloyd, who goes by Jake Broadbent these days, was only 10 years old during the release of ‘Phantom Menace’ in 1999.
The film made a total of $2 billion from worldwide box office receipts and rentals, which also featured Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson. Khristian Ibarrola, INQUIRER.net
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