The fates of child actors always seem so predetermined. A few get out and make good on their ambitions, but others get wrapped up in drugs or fade into oblivion or become incessant tabloid fodder. But Jake Lloyd is different. Tasked with carrying the future of Star Wars on his tiny shoulders, he was absolutely shredded by moviegoers and the media at just 10 years old. Facing bullying at school, hate from Star Wars fans, ridicule from reporters, and battles with his mental health, Jake Lloyd has seen a world like perhaps no other child actor before or since. More than 25 years removed from The Phantom Menace, he’s eyeing a recovery that matches it. Let’s find out: What Happened to… Jake Lloyd?

Born in Fort Collins, Colorado, Jake Lloyd and his family soon found their way to Hollywood. After a supporting role alongside Gena Rowlands and Marisa Tomei in...