The Tragic True-Life Story Of The Actor Who Played Kid Loki

Unfortunately, there's a long history of child actors working in Hollywood who end up struggling as they come of age, whether they're dealing with family issues, mental health, drugs, or a variety of other problems. This is the case for Jack Veal, a young actor who worked on projects such as "The End of the F***king World" (widely considered one of the best Netflix original series), "Tin Star," and "The Favourite." He made his Marvel debut as Kid Loki in the Season 1 episode of "Loki" where the intrepid trickster god (Tom Hiddleston) encounters several different Variants of himself who have all been sent to the Void for violating the Sacred Timeline.

Although his last on-screen performance was back in 2022 with an episode of "The Peripheral," Veal has recently come back in the spotlight with a startling revelation. In a recent Tiktok, the 17-year-old actor discusses the darker aspects of his personal history, including the fact that he is now struggling to keep a roof over his head. Here's everything you need to know about Veal's distressing experiences, both as a former child actor and as a regular human being.

Although mental health issues are often met with a certain stigma, especially among those who have a public presence, Jack Veal has been open about the challenges he faces as a result of them. "I struggle with mental health," he explained during his recent Tiktok while discussing the difficulties of his present circumstances. "I have autism, ADHD, and am being screened for bipolar and psychosis."

Autism and ADHD are fairly common neurodevelopmental disorders, but depending on their severity, they can create obstacles for people living with them. However, more worrying are Veal's references to experiences of psychosis, which creates a distortion in how one views the world around them, making it difficult to determine what's real and what isn't. Proper treatment is essential — something Veal fortunately seems to be seeking from mental health professionals.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Part of the impetus for Jack Veal to publish his Tiktok as a plea for help was conflict within his family. After his parents got divorced when he was younger, he lived with his mother Donna and his stepfather Steven Veal. During this time, his relationship with his father suffered. With Veal living with his mother in Islington in north London, and his father Robert Pembroke moving to Devon and remarrying, the two saw each other much less regularly. 

At some point during his teen years, Veal's relationship with his mother and stepfather apparently became fraught with tension, and Veal claimed that he was a victim of his parents' abuse. "Without delving too much into the details, I was abused at home. It was physical violence, emotional abuse and etcetera." It's likely that substance abuse issues were exacerbated by this conflict. Like many former child actors who find themself bereft in an industry that surrounds them with adults and doesn't have appropriate protections for them, Jack Veal has dealt with addiction issues in the past. "I was kicked out of home and I then abused drugs like spice and alcohol," he explained in his Tiktok.

Although his mother has reached out to him since he went public with the Tiktok, asking him to return to their shared home, he has refused, preferring to take his chances on a more unstable future on the streets. Veal also mentioned that he has a good relationship with his grandparents, but he's unable to move in with them, because his grandfather currently has complicated enough health issues to make it logistically difficult to add a third person to their household.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

In addition to the Tiktok posted by Jack Veal about his present circumstances, he's also used the account to raise awareness about the frequent victimization of child actors — making him the latest in a long line of young performers putting the industry on blast. In the United Kingdom, child actors are especially vulnerable, since parents are usually in charge of their finances and there aren't enough structures in place to ensure that they're not being taken advantage of.  "I was exploited by my parents since the age of 10," Veal claimed in the video. "I worked as a child actor and every paycheck was taken, and the worst part was I would never know how much I was earning per show."

Despite the fact that he had featured roles on popular Netflix and Marvel television series, Veal is struggling to make ends meet. He currently works as a personal trainer and is attempting to find more acting jobs, but acknowledges that his current circumstances make it difficult for him to carve out time for auditions and the other practical elements of a career in the performing arts.

After being kicked out of his home by his parents, Jack Veal found himself without a place to stay. He sought shelter in a variety of different locales, combining couch-surfing with nights spent sleeping near the canal and the use of a dodgy, rundown van to avoid living on the streets. Veal initially published the Tiktok detailing his living conditions to raise awareness for his plight, hoping that the attention would convince local social services to help him find a stable place to stay rather than attempting to convince him to return home to his parents. As winter approaches, his situation becomes more dire: "I have nowhere else to go, and I need help. Social services refuses to help me despite what I have told them. I am desperate."

But Veal's time spent living rough seems to be coming to an end. A few days after his initial Tiktok, he posted a tearful update, announcing that as a result of the renewed interest in his case, social services in Islington have found him a foster home that suits his needs. Here's hoping that this home will offer stability that will allow him a fresh start, whether or not he continues to pursue acting as a career.