# Jake Lloyd speaks out against the Phantom Menace. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 8, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175 "2012-03-08T17:58:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/1 "2012-03-08T17:58:41Z")
Interesting interview where he reveals that he was bullied in school after the movie came out and that he ended up destroying his Star Wars memorabilia. I especially liked this tidbit. > [@](#): > > Jake, whose mother is an entertainment agent, admitted in an interview [Scifitv.com](http://Scifitv.com) that he doesn’t like watching the film anymore and he blames George Lucas for that. > > "When you have something like that there’s a lot of expectations for it to meet the standards of the public and I don’t think George did that. > > “For me to go back and watch it now would be kind of creepy.” I guess he’s letting the hate flow through him. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/2 "2012-03-08T18:23:45Z")
Link? ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/3 "2012-03-08T18:24:20Z")
What? ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/4 "2012-03-08T18:32:56Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Link? D’oh! :smack: Sorry. Here it is: [http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/jake-lloyd-who-played-anakin-skywalker-in-star-wars-the-phantom-menace-quit-film-industry-after-life-made-living-hell/story-e6frewyr-1226291297398](http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/jake-lloyd-who-played-anakin-skywalker-in-star-wars-the-phantom-menace-quit-film-industry-after-life-made-living-hell/story-e6frewyr-1226291297398) ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/5 "2012-03-08T18:36:55Z")
I recently with my son watched TPM for the FIRST time since 1999 in the theater, my wife who doesn’t know a jedi from a hutt made the following comments. “Did he just say doodoo? :dubious: this seems childish” ME-“So you do know who that kid is right?” HER-“No who? Harrison Ford?” ME-“Nah thats Darth Vader” HER-“What?! Really? Why on earth show us Vader as a little kid what does that accomplish?” :smack:Yes she points out flaws not even liking the films. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/6 "2012-03-08T18:39:03Z")
I understand Alec Guinness got pantsed a few times, too. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/7 "2012-03-08T18:45:33Z")
[Here is he is 3 years ago sharing some thoughts on the movie. He seems like a regular dude and it is definitely not his fault the movie is terrible(or even that he is bad in it).](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtkM2JPcHPo) ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/8 "2012-03-08T18:49:12Z")
> [@grude](#): > > ME-“So you do know who that kid is right?” > HER-“No who? Harrison Ford?” > ME-“Nah thats Darth Vader” > HER-“What?! Really? Why on earth show us Vader as a little kid what does that accomplish?” :smack:Yes she points out flaws not even liking the films. The payoff is in Episode III when that “little kid” - now a teenage boy - cuts down the Padawan younglings. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/9 "2012-03-08T19:17:10Z")
> [@grude](#): > > HER-“What?! Really? Why on earth show us Vader as a little kid what does that accomplish?” :smack:Yes she points out flaws not even liking the films. You two’d appreciate this, which has NSFW language: [spoiler][http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-Zmuoze65U[/spoiler]](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-Zmuoze65U%5B/spoiler%5D) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/10 "2012-03-08T19:19:47Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > The payoff is in Episode III when that “little kid” - now a teenage boy - cuts down the Padawan younglings. 😃 That was a pretty shitty payoff. ([Also.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdukWtJwlPU)) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/11 "2012-03-08T19:48:32Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > The payoff is in Episode III when that “little kid” - now a teenage boy - cuts down the Padawan younglings. 😃 You know, I don’t think anything caused me to roll my eyes more than the use of that word. Not even the names that sound like a child’s, er, “youngling’s” cursewords: “Daddy? I have pain in my naboo when I’m making dooku. But it feels good when I play with my watoo! Yippee!” But to take a simple word such as “child” or “children” and replace them with… “younglings”? Takes a special kind of idiocy for that one. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/12 "2012-03-08T19:50:34Z")
She also wanted to know how Jake Lloyd turned into a black man(Vader’s voice actor), had to explain the lava surfing. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/13 "2012-03-08T19:57:16Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > You know, I don’t think anything caused me to roll my eyes more than the use of that word. > > Not even the names that sound like a child’s, er, “youngling’s” cursewords: > > “Daddy? I have pain in my naboo when I’m making dooku. But it feels good when I play with my watoo! Yippee!” > > But to take a simple word such as “child” or “children” and replace them with… “younglings”? Takes a special kind of idiocy for that one. “Son, if you play with your watto too much you are going to shmi.” ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/14 "2012-03-08T20:03:32Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > “Son, if you play with your watto too much you are going to shmi.” You’ll also end up having a big Organa. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/15 "2012-03-08T20:34:59Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I understand Alec Guinness got pantsed a few times, too. But that was many years before STAR WARS and in a public restroom in London. He paid the fine, moved on, kept it out of the papers. Trivia about the role of Li’l Annakin: one of the original contenders for the role was Justin Berfield who played Reese on MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE. By some accounts he was actually “the chosen one” but meanwhile had signed for Malcolm, by others they voluntarily went on to Lloyd. Either way, I don’t know if Lloyd was a bad actor or if it was George Lucas’s directing (because he can make a decent actor bad), but that was one of the most annoying performances by a child actor since _The Yearling_, to which add the “ewww” factor to Natalie Portman’s creepy “Oh, I’m never going to forget you Annie…” line (which makes no sense). I do hope Lloyd did at least earn a sithload of money from it in merchandising and what not because it’s going to be a lifetime to live it down. (I would _never_ let a child of mine star in a role of that kind of easily foreseeable mega-exposure because no matter much money it brings is going to be offset by child-star psychological problems from then on and it’s just not worth it for their happiness.) ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/16 "2012-03-08T20:41:10Z")
I saw it in the theater with my 7-year old recently for the first time since the original release and I have to say, the movie was improved by the lack of anticipation. It was not really helped, however, by the addition of 3D. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/17 "2012-03-08T22:03:44Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I saw it in the theater with my 7-year old recently for the first time since the original release and I have to say, the movie was improved by the lack of anticipation. It was not really helped, however, by the addition of 3D. I liked Revenge of the Sith so much it made the other two a little better in its wake. It is a flawed movie (with really big flaws) but it isn’t the shit storm it gets accused of being. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/18 "2012-03-08T22:20:11Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I liked Revenge of the Sith so much it made the other two a little better in its wake. It is a flawed movie (with really big flaws) but it isn’t the shit storm it gets accused of being. I find Revenge of the Sith to be an excellent movie so long as one skips any scene that’s either just Padme or Padme and Anakin. It’s even a lot of fun if you skip every talky scene and go straight to the action, but there are some good parts in the talky scenes, generally between Obi-Wan and Anakin. I do feel bad for Jake Lloyd. That’s a hell of an albatross to have to carry. “You ruined Star Wars!” ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/19 "2012-03-08T22:24:54Z")
> [@grude](#): > > I recently with my son watched TPM for the FIRST time since 1999 in the theater, my wife who doesn’t know a jedi from a hutt made the following comments. > > “Did he just say doodoo? :dubious: this seems childish” > > ME-“So you do know who that kid is right?” > HER-“No who? Harrison Ford?” > ME-“Nah thats Darth Vader” > HER-“What?! Really? Why on earth show us Vader as a little kid what does that accomplish?” :smack:Yes she points out flaws not even liking the films. [Patton Oswalt on the subject](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDCjIjsZp_Y). Like he says: “I don’t care where the stuff I love comes from! I just love the stuff I love!!” “So, you like Angelina Jolie, think she’s hot? Well, here’s Jon Voight’s ballsack!” ---
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175/20 "2012-03-09T02:46:23Z")
Eh. Not much I didn’t already know. High school a pit of anarchy where absolutely zero restraint is made on any kind of behavior, no matter how reprehensible? Check. Blane in this country often completely misplaced and based on misinformation, ignorance, emotion, simplemindedness, and plain 'ol stupidity? Check. Ridiculously high expectations on the Star Wars prequels leading, predictably, to ridiculously high disappointment and a ridiculous amount of hatred for everyone involved? Ridiculous amount of importance placed on a bunch of sci-fi movies to begin with? Check. Sickening lack of passion from worthless slimeballs who never had to deal with the problem and would’ve handled it a thousand times worse if they did? Check. Absolutely no goddam justice in this world, ever, at all? Ohhhh yeah. He saw the ugly side of America up close and personal, raw, real, and uncensored. It’s a hell of an experience for a nine-year-old to go through, let alone carry with no help from anyone at all for the next decade. My hope is that he goes the Michael Moore route and use this horrific experience to educate others, let them know that they’re not alone, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he said the hell with it and just tried to live a semi-normal life. Not sure what the heck he has against George Lucas, though. He was doing his job. If anything, he should be going after his parents and anyone who told him that being in the movie was a good idea. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jake-lloyd-speaks-out-against-the-phantom-menace/615175.md?page=2)