Jake Lloyd appeared in television commercials and series (including semi-regular roles in E. R. and The Pretender) before making his film debut in 1996's Unhook the Stars. He co-starred with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the comedy Jingle All the Way (1996) and then landed the role of Padawan Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999). In the series, young Skywalker grows up to be the evil villain Darth Vader in episodes IV, V and VI of the Star Wars series. After the success of the film, Lloyd did voice work for various Star Wars video games, then retreated to a "normal life" in the midwest.

Extra credit: His sister, Madison Lloyd, had the part of Princess Ellie in The Phantom Menace.