Even before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace made its way to the theatre, Newsweek published an article bashing the film, whose criticisms were based on the trailer’s upbeat tone and rumors. Moreover, the piece also took shots at Jake Lloyd, who was 9 at the time, following the rumors surrounding his portrayal of young Anakin Skywalker.
Furious by the article, which targeted Lloyd without even seeing the film, The Da Vinci Code director Ron Howard wrote a letter in support of the child actor to the outlet.
Ron Howard Was Furious by the Scathing Piece Taking Jabs at Jake Lloyd
In the section “The Kid Can’t Act”, the piece took shots at Jake Lloyd, stating that he’s “Mannequin Skywalker”. Furthermore, the criticisms regarding the Jingle All the Way star’s acting chops in the article were allegedly based on rumors and unnamed sources surrounding Lloyd’s performance.
Appalled by the situation, Solo director Ron Howard called out the outlet for targeting a kid without even seeing the film. In his support letter, which recently resurfaced online, the director deemed this act from the publication “shameful” and “downright irresponsible”.
The letter Ron Howard sent to Newsweek after an article critiqued Jake Lloyd's performance as Anakin Skywalker in 'The Phantom Menace' (1999)
Jake was 9 years old at the time pic.twitter.com/6PCwQ9hBjh
— Star Wars Facts (@sw_tweets) March 12, 2024
Shortly after Episode 1, Lloyd ended up retiring from acting altogether, with his last acting credit being Mike McCormick in 2001’s Madison.
Mark Hamill Too Stood in Support of Jake Lloyd
Howard isn’t the lone major Hollywood figure to come forward in defense of the former child actor, as Luke Skywalker himself shared his dismay towards the overwhelming hate towards Lloyd.
Mark Hamill revealed that the Madison star followed George Lucas’ instructions and did what he was asked to do, stressing that he was angry with the way the media and public treated Lloyd.
He said (via Heroic Hollywood):
“I couldn’t believe some of the things they wrote about the prequels, you know. I mean really, beyond I didn’t like it. I’m still angry about the way they treated Jake Lloyd. He was only ten years old, that boy, and he did exactly what George wanted him to do. Believe me, I understand clunky dialog.”
However, on a positive note, the former actor has been showcasing signs of improvement after being diagnosed with schizophrenia, “He’s doing much better than I expected”, stated his mother. While she clarified that the Star Wars situation had nothing to do with his mental health issues, it’s safe to say that receiving such overwhelming hate at a young age definitely had a lasting impact on Lloyd.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is available to stream on Disney Plus.
