Why Jingle All The Way star Jake Lloyd turned his back on Hollywood

Christmas movie Jingle All The Way may have starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad as two rival fathers trying to track down the most popular toy that Christmas, but whatever happened to the actor who played Arnie's son Jamie in the 1996 hit?

Jake Lloyd was just seven years old when he appeared in Jingle All The Way. Not long after, he was cast by George Lucas to play a young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace.

But the life of a movie star was not easy for the young lad.

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"My entire school life was really a living hell, and I had to do up to 60 interviews a day," Jake revealed in a 2012 interview with the UK tabloid The Sun.

"Other children were really mean to me… They would make the sound of the lightsaber every time they saw me. It was totally mad."

"I've learned to hate it when the cameras are pointed at me," he added, explaining why he retired from showbusiness not long afterwards.

Since then, the former child actor has struggled with mental health issues and has been in trouble with the law.

In 2020, Jake's mother Lisa Lloyd revealed he had been in and out of a psychiatric facility since 2016 and had finally got a diagnosis.

"We would like to thank everyone for their kind words, their support, and goodwill. Jake has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, but unfortunately, he also has a symptom called anosognosia which causes a lack of insight into his illness," she revealed in a statement to Geek News Now.

"This only adds to the struggle he faces, which has been very difficult after the tragic loss of his younger sister, Madison," she added.

Jake was arrested in South Carolina by police in 2015 on charges of resisting arrest, failure to stop at a red light, reckless driving and driving without a licence.

Indianapolis Metro Police had also been called to his mother's house earlier that same year after Jake allegedly assaulted his mother Lisa but she refused to press charges after revealing he was off his schizophrenia medication.

Jake, now 34, continues to be supported by his family.

"He is still a kind and caring person and we hope to have him back to his fun and entertaining self as soon as possible. Jake will continue to make progress with the love and support you continue to show," his mum added.

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