When Star Wars fans TURN on the actor. The Jake Lloyd story.

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"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." — Yoda, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

In this in-depth video essay, we explore the harsh reality faced by actor Jake Lloyd after his portrayal of young Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace. Despite being a child, Jake became the target of intense fan backlash, a phenomenon that has plagued other actors in the Star Wars universe as well. From the initial hype of Episode I to the devastating effects of fandom toxicity, we delve into how the line between critique and cruelty was crossed.

This video also features an exclusive, never-before-seen interview with Jake Lloyd's acting coach, Dennis LaValle, who offers unique insights into the challenges Jake faced on set and the long-term impact this experience had on him. We also reflect on how this tragic story mirrors the treatment of other Star Wars actors, showing that the dark side of fandom has been a recurring issue.

Join us as we uncover the true cost of fandom gone wrong and consider how we, as a community, can do better in the future. Don't miss this compelling discussion that combines new perspectives with the tragic history of one of cinema's most beloved franchises.

0:00 - Introduction
3:23 - Early roles. Unhook the Stars, Jingle All the Way, ER.
5:15 - Casting Anakin Skywalker.
6:47 - FEAR. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is released.
10:18 - ANGER. Fans HATE Episode I. And Jar Jar Binks.
12:27 - George Lucas' bad dialogue in the script.
15:06 - Struggles with the CGI.
18:06 - Maybe the performance worked?
20:56 - After The Phantom Menace.
22:02 - HATE. Fan backlash and the Razzies.
26:04 - REDEMPTION? Why fans have changed? Or gotten worse?



#StarWars #ThePhantomMenace #darthvader