News culture This Star Wars actor developed mental illness. Online harassment has serious consequences.
Star Wars is an important franchise in global pop culture, no one can question that. However, not all trilogies and productions derived from them were entitled to the same reception. Regrettably, some responses have resulted in waves of harassment that are making the lives of those affected a living hell.
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Star Wars: Racer trailer.
Star Wars: Admired and criticized, the franchise will soon be 50 years old!
The Star Wars franchise was born in 1977 one of the strongest cultural brands in the world. Apart from the nine main films and the rare spin-offs, Star Wars has been rejected in all its variants. Toys, clothes, figurines, posters, furniture, video games, series, cartoons… Everything was there. Are you looking for a chair with a Darth Vader backrest? Is there a Yoda toaster? There is that too. In summary, Any object could become a Star Wars object, or almost. The license purchased by Disney returned to the fore with the trilogy dedicated to Rey, but also through several series Andor, the Mandalorian, Ahsoka, Obi Wan or Visions.
Several films and series are in production, a sign that despite the more than mixed reception from episode IX: The Ascension of Skywalker, the Star Wars brand is still very strong. In three years, the franchise will celebrate its 50th anniversary, and that’s what we envision This half century is celebrated as it should be. But what interests us today has its origins in 1999, the year of the cinema release Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Sixteen years after Return of the Jedi, Star Wars finally returned to tell us the beginning of the story of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
At this point, everyone knows that Darth Vader is Luke’s father, that he is Anakin, and that he used to be a powerful Jedi. The public was therefore eager to discover it how Anakain turned to the dark side, and suffice to say, things weren’t easy. From the presence of Jar Jar Binks to the constant use of green backgrounds to the acting and plot, Episode I was criticized from all sides. However, some viewers appreciated it and opinions about the film seem to have changed over the years. Much more focused on the political history that led to the creation of the empireThe prelogy stands in contrast to the original trilogy, which leans more towards the theatrical portrayal of the actors.
Jake Lloyd: When fame becomes a burden
Unfortunately, some of the audience were not content with criticizing the film, He directly attacks the actors and especially Jake Lloyd, who played the very young Anakin Skywalker. He was replaced by Hayden Christensen in the next two films, but nothing happened. Jake Lloyd was bullied for years and the experience was so unpleasant that he left the acting world soon after. His schooling was seriously disruptedHis comrades constantly ask him for autographs or imitate the sound of lightsabers as he passes by.
A few years after the release of The Phantom Menace, Jake Lloyd I was diagnosed with schizophrenia with paranoid tendencies. The disease is still being studied extensively, but the scientific community agrees that it results from both causes various genetic factors and environmental factors promotes the appearance of symptoms. The bullying that Jake Lloyd fell victim to obviously played a role in the development of the disease. In 2015, he suffered a serious crisis that prompted his mother to call the authorities. Later that year, he lit a fire and drove his car into a tree while being pursued by police. He was taken into custody and then taken to a special facility, better able to help him. The most recent concrete message comes from 2020 and was sent by his mother:
We would like to thank everyone for their kind words, support and goodwill. Jake has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia (hallucinations and delusions of presence, persecution or grandiosity), but unfortunately he also has a symptom called anosognosia, which leads to a lack of understanding of his illness. This only reinforces the struggle he faces, which has been very difficult following the tragic loss of his younger sister Madison. He has become closer to his family and we are all working hard to help him. (…) He is still a kind and caring person and we hope that he returns to his funny and entertaining character as soon as possible. Jake will continue to make progress thanks to the love and support you continue to show him, his mother told Geek News Now.
Jake Lloyd actually had to endure his sister’s death Madison, who died in her sleep in 2018 at just 26 years old. Unfortunately, he’s not the only Star Wars actor who has faced waves of harassment or hate, especially online. Ahmed Best, actor who plays Jar Jar, Kelly Marie Tran who plays Rose in the postlogy, “fans” of the franchise were also victims.
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