The kid seems intelligent and self aware, if some what bullied by the experience. Seems like a nice enough guy. I feel bad watching this though, and you can really see how anxious – possibly nervous he is.
Watching this video only makes me wish there was a real Jar Jar Binks. Then perhaps this guy wouldn’t have had, what I’m assuming based on the way he refers to people, a rough growing up. Next time you look for a person to blame Episode I’s shortcomings on, give the kid a break, and leave the blame solely with Turkeyneck Lucas.
Sounds like he went through the “normal” high school experience. “Hey Anakin! Come Force-throw me a soda, beeotch!” He just needs to get into his comfort zone with handling the public/media. I’m sure once he’s grown a bit more he’ll be pretty comfortable with telling jerks off and signing kid’s Star Wars lunch boxes.
It’s sad to watch, but he’s still a kid and has a lot of growing to do. I can’t imagine still being the way I was when I was 20 and trying to deal with all life has thrown me. He’ll get past it. Star Wars was just the theme of his growing up, but he seems to have gone through all the bullshit the rest of us did.
I agree with “the chamberlain,” it is a little sad to watch. He sees like he’s got a pretty good head on his shoulders…he just needs some more time and non-star wars accomplishments and I think he’ll get past it. I don’t feel too bad for him, I bet he got a pretty good chunk of change for his early work.
A child star that got conned. His agent ripped him off, and the movie execs ripped him off. He prob got the same deal and pay that Mark Hamill got for the first three movies.
Most people had rough times during adolesence, but at least he was a part of something that will long outlive that period. I doubt there are few people out there who would not jump at the chance to be in an iconic role like that in some way, shape, or form (just look at all the people who write themselves into their own fan-films). And he is right, old-schoolers may laugh at eps 1-3, but kids love it. And I imagine it will be a good thing to share with his grandkids one day…
All in all, he seems to be in good shape. Had to deal with a few more jerks than the “average” kid. But he’s come through. Most of us would be nervous to sit in front of a camera (behind a pile of plywood and palettes, ha!). I’m sure he’s learned to appreciate anonymity, but still wants to make a name for himself – that’s a paradox many people struggle with. Frankly, I haven’t even thought about this guy at all in the last 10 years, and I’m happy to see that he’s doing well.
I just graduated from the college he started going to. It would be rough there for him, especially in the film department where there’s no shortage of pretentious folks who would have no respect for Episode I. He dealt with it, though; good sources claim he spent a great deal of his time stoned.
We had several “Jake Lloyd” kids at our high school. Some were accepted by band/choir/orchestra or mainstream geek cliques and integrated well. One of the ‘strange’ kids was even adopted and protected by a football player and then, by proxy, the entire team; That was extremely cool to see. The real Jake Lloyd apparently was not accepted and did not fare well.
On a related note, Fletcher Axiom #54: If you don’t think you went to school with a “Jake Lloyd,” you WERE the “Jake Lloyd.”
To all the people who think he didn’t get the ‘right treatment’ or pay for the movie just think of about it as a normal job. You shouldn’t normally star in one movie and then live the rest of your life with the money from that, it’s not normal. Yeah it’s fine if they get a bigger piece for a bigger movie but the movie industry, much like the sports and music has gone way overboard with overpaying the so called superstars. So yeah, work for the money like everyone else.
For him to be a victim of “Child Star Syndrome,” he’d have to have been a child star. Having one of the most villified performances in film history and then dropping off the map doesn’t qualify.
Actually, I found his performance in Ep. 1 a whole lot more palatable than what Hayden Christensen did with the latter two prequels, and Christensen is soldiering on to make more films. I hate what he did with Anakin, but I admire his work ethic for acting. Even if you’re tied to a disliked performance, at least it’s publicity, which you can (hopefully) leverage into something that’ll shake it off. Or you can become like William Shatner, and become so bad that you actually invert around to cult popularity.
I mean, seriously, if I had known Jake Lloyd, I would’ve praised him for being the lesser of the evils that Boy George has wrought against us.
I fail to see why people are bashing him for this. He seems intelligent, aware but not worried about his status as a failed child actor and having moved past a part of his life that many people are giving him grief for when it wasn’t even his fault. Blaming a nine year old for the failure of a movie that was made by adults among a decently small unsatisfied viewer base? No beans.
I wonder if his film role helped me get laid? Makes you wonder huh? “Hey Baby – I starred in Star Wars Episode I – wanna hook up?” Hmmm… In the words of Borat: ….(pause)….NOT!
“helped him”… I hate when I make stupid typing errors in a post… @Mighty Scott Johnson: Can an edit post feature be added to this site of yours… Muchas gracias in advance!
Those “charming, intelligent people” aren’t thinking this through. As a kid, he played A YOUNG DARTH VADER. Do you REALLY want him to have a grudge against you?
God forbid it would actually happen (no matter how cool the headline would be in his case), but some students who have been bullied have decided to push back, often with weapons not as elegant as a lightsaber.
The kid seems intelligent and self aware, if some what bullied by the experience. Seems like a nice enough guy. I feel bad watching this though, and you can really see how anxious – possibly nervous he is.
Good luck to him.
Watching this video only makes me wish there was a real Jar Jar Binks. Then perhaps this guy wouldn’t have had, what I’m assuming based on the way he refers to people, a rough growing up. Next time you look for a person to blame Episode I’s shortcomings on, give the kid a break, and leave the blame solely with Turkeyneck Lucas.
Sounds like he went through the “normal” high school experience. “Hey Anakin! Come Force-throw me a soda, beeotch!” He just needs to get into his comfort zone with handling the public/media. I’m sure once he’s grown a bit more he’ll be pretty comfortable with telling jerks off and signing kid’s Star Wars lunch boxes.
I honestly would never have guessed that was him if I happened to pass him on the street or something.
It’s sad to watch, but he’s still a kid and has a lot of growing to do. I can’t imagine still being the way I was when I was 20 and trying to deal with all life has thrown me. He’ll get past it. Star Wars was just the theme of his growing up, but he seems to have gone through all the bullshit the rest of us did.
Another victim of former child star syndrome.
I agree with “the chamberlain,” it is a little sad to watch. He sees like he’s got a pretty good head on his shoulders…he just needs some more time and non-star wars accomplishments and I think he’ll get past it. I don’t feel too bad for him, I bet he got a pretty good chunk of change for his early work.
A child star that got conned. His agent ripped him off, and the movie execs ripped him off. He prob got the same deal and pay that Mark Hamill got for the first three movies.
Most people had rough times during adolesence, but at least he was a part of something that will long outlive that period. I doubt there are few people out there who would not jump at the chance to be in an iconic role like that in some way, shape, or form (just look at all the people who write themselves into their own fan-films). And he is right, old-schoolers may laugh at eps 1-3, but kids love it. And I imagine it will be a good thing to share with his grandkids one day…
All in all, he seems to be in good shape. Had to deal with a few more jerks than the “average” kid. But he’s come through. Most of us would be nervous to sit in front of a camera (behind a pile of plywood and palettes, ha!). I’m sure he’s learned to appreciate anonymity, but still wants to make a name for himself – that’s a paradox many people struggle with. Frankly, I haven’t even thought about this guy at all in the last 10 years, and I’m happy to see that he’s doing well.
I just graduated from the college he started going to. It would be rough there for him, especially in the film department where there’s no shortage of pretentious folks who would have no respect for Episode I. He dealt with it, though; good sources claim he spent a great deal of his time stoned.
well Joe, jar jar is real, he lives in lucas head, in the “greate ideas” part of his brain, so I blame him for s****** all over star wars
We had several “Jake Lloyd” kids at our high school. Some were accepted by band/choir/orchestra or mainstream geek cliques and integrated well. One of the ‘strange’ kids was even adopted and protected by a football player and then, by proxy, the entire team; That was extremely cool to see. The real Jake Lloyd apparently was not accepted and did not fare well.
On a related note, Fletcher Axiom #54: If you don’t think you went to school with a “Jake Lloyd,” you WERE the “Jake Lloyd.”
To all the people who think he didn’t get the ‘right treatment’ or pay for the movie just think of about it as a normal job. You shouldn’t normally star in one movie and then live the rest of your life with the money from that, it’s not normal. Yeah it’s fine if they get a bigger piece for a bigger movie but the movie industry, much like the sports and music has gone way overboard with overpaying the so called superstars.
So yeah, work for the money like everyone else.
For him to be a victim of “Child Star Syndrome,” he’d have to have been a child star. Having one of the most villified performances in film history and then dropping off the map doesn’t qualify.
He’s more a victim of “One Hit Wonder Syndrome.”
Actually, I found his performance in Ep. 1 a whole lot more palatable than what Hayden Christensen did with the latter two prequels, and Christensen is soldiering on to make more films. I hate what he did with Anakin, but I admire his work ethic for acting. Even if you’re tied to a disliked performance, at least it’s publicity, which you can (hopefully) leverage into something that’ll shake it off. Or you can become like William Shatner, and become so bad that you actually invert around to cult popularity.
I mean, seriously, if I had known Jake Lloyd, I would’ve praised him for being the lesser of the evils that Boy George has wrought against us.
Surprised no one gave him crap for being the kid from “Jingle All The Way”….
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116705/
Oh yeah, I went there.
I fail to see why people are bashing him for this. He seems intelligent, aware but not worried about his status as a failed child actor and having moved past a part of his life that many people are giving him grief for when it wasn’t even his fault. Blaming a nine year old for the failure of a movie that was made by adults among a decently small unsatisfied viewer base? No beans.
george lucus, wrecking movies and lifes…
I wonder if his film role helped me get laid? Makes you wonder huh? “Hey Baby – I starred in Star Wars Episode I – wanna hook up?” Hmmm… In the words of Borat: ….(pause)….NOT!
“helped him”… I hate when I make stupid typing errors in a post… @Mighty Scott Johnson: Can an edit post feature be added to this site of yours… Muchas gracias in advance!
That had to be THE coolest, most down to earth guy in Hollywood.
“An un-aimed arrow always hits its mark.”
Great philosophy for life’s, sometimes, out of reach goals. What will be will be. It lessens the disappointment factor a little…
Those “charming, intelligent people” aren’t thinking this through. As a kid, he played A YOUNG DARTH VADER. Do you REALLY want him to have a grudge against you?
God forbid it would actually happen (no matter how cool the headline would be in his case), but some students who have been bullied have decided to push back, often with weapons not as elegant as a lightsaber.
“…I know that asshole’s life is worse than I could make it.”
It was worth watching for that, alone. Also, it sounds like he has a much healthier perspective on the movie than a lot of the so-called fans.
Jake Lloyd seems to be a very nice guy. I wish him luck for the future.