Jake Lloyd gained worldwide recognition when George Lucas selected him to play the role of young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, the first movie in the prequel series. He also portrayed the character in five additional Star Wars video games.
Lloyd is well-known for his frequent portrayals of Jimmy Sweet in ER and Young Angelo in The Pretender. He previously played the role of Ronnie Collins on the show. He also had a leading role in the 1998 TV movie, Host.
Jake Lloyd Bio Details
Full name: Jake Matthew Lloyd
Date of birth: March 5, 1989
Age: 35 years old (as of 2024)
Gender: Male
Place of birth: Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Marital status: Unmarried
Nationality: American
Father’s name: William “Bill” Lloyd
Mother’s name: Lisa Riley
Eye color: Brown
Hair color: Brown
Height: 5 ft 5 in
Weight: 62 kg
Profession: Former child actor
Family & Education
Jake Lloyd was born in Fort Collins, Colorado, on March 5, 1989. His parents are William “Bill” Lloyd, who works as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), and Lisa Riley, who is an entertainment agent.
In 2007, Lloyd completed his education at Carmel High School in Carmel, Indiana. At the time of portraying Anakin, Jake was only nine years old. The entertainment industry rallied behind the young actor and denounced the negative remarks he faced.
He subsequently relocated to Chicago to pursue further education but left after one semester at Columbia College Chicago, where he was studying film and psychology.
Career
In 1996, Jake Lloyd made his acting debut on the American medical drama TV series ER as Jimmy Sweet, appearing in four episodes. The show aired on NBC from September 1994 to April 2009.
After his TV role, he landed a role in the 1996 American drama film Unhook the Stars, directed by Nick Cassavetes.
Jake Lloyd made multiple appearances on the popular American action show The Pretender between 1996 and 2000, playing various characters such as Ronnie Collins, Young Angelo, and Timmy.
However, his breakthrough role came when he was cast as Jamie Langston in the Christmas comedy Jingle All the Way, directed by Brian Levant and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad. Additionally, Jake Lloyd portrayed Mark Armstrong in the TV movie ‘Apollo 11, which premiered on The Family Channel in November 1996.
Jake gained worldwide recognition when American filmmaker and entrepreneur George Lucas chose him to star in the 1999 movie Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. While it was expected to be a major breakthrough for Jake’s career, the then 9-year-old received criticism for his “poor” acting in the film.
In his last film, Madison, released in 2005, he played the character of Mike McCormick, which he was cast as in 2000. He also appeared as Mike in five Star Wars video games. However, due to ridicule from his peers for his role in The Phantom Menace, he retired from acting in 2001.
In 2012, he announced that he was producing a documentary about Tibetan refugees in India who were seeking refuge from the Chinese government’s persecution. However, by 2015, he had stopped appearing at public gatherings and conducting interviews. To avoid being recognized, he adopted the persona of Jake Broadbent.
Personal Life
Jake Lloyd remains unmarried and is not in a romantic relationship at the moment. He is still single and enjoys spending time with his friends. In 2012, Lloyd disclosed that he stopped pursuing acting in 2001 due to being bullied at school and facing negative media attention, both of which were a result of his role in The Phantom Menace.
Net Worth
Jake Lloyd has amassed a net worth of approximately $30,000 from his professional endeavors. He retired from acting in 2001 and has since maintained a low profile. It is unclear what his current employment status is.
