Lloyd's mental health began to decline in her late teens, and she missed out on several prominent roles due to a combination of factors.
While she played the lead role in the 2002 independent film The Honeytrap to critical acclaim, and also performed in theatrical productions, she had difficulty finding work and was diagnosed with several mental health conditions.
Lloyd was born in London, the daughter of actor Roger Lloyd-Pack and Sheila, née Ball,[2] a theatrical agent who was a long-time secretary at Harold Pinter's stage agency.
[5] Lloyd's parents separated when she was 18 months old; her father moved out of the family home and Emily continued to live with her mother in Milner Square, Islington.
[6] Her mother married telephone engineer Martin Ball and had a second daughter, Charlotte, when Lloyd was five; however the couple separated two months after her birth.
Roger Ebert said she was the key to the film's performance, calling it "one of the great debut roles for a young actress".
[17] Lloyd reported that her mental health deteriorated in Manhattan, and began developing a tic, had difficulty concentrating, and was hearing voices.
[17][19] Rick Groen from The Globe and Mail praised Lloyd's performance as "letter perfect – her accent impeccable and her energy immense".
The original director of the film, Lasse Hallström, was fired at Cher's insistence, and Lloyd was subsequently told she was no longer required.
According to Lloyd the relationship was troubled,[24] and one night at his apartment alone, she attempted suicide by taking aspirin and slashing her wrists.
The Hollywood Reporter said that Lloyd provided "another memorable performance", while Malcolm Johnson from the Hartford Courant said she and co-star Brad Pitt brought "verve and charm" to the film.
[36] In 1998, she appeared in the film Brand New World, her last performance until she played the lead role in the independent thriller The Honeytrap in 2002, for which she received critical acclaim.
Shortly after rehearsals began, the original director Giles Havergal walked out, with reports he found Lloyd impossible to work with.
[19] Lloyd spoke positively of her experience in the play,[38] though, according to The Daily Telegraph, one reviewer said her performance left audiences "visibly cringing".
Cassandra Jardine from The Daily Telegraph stated that during an interview Lloyd frequently lost track of her sentences, stared into the distance and made sudden exclamations for no apparent reason.
By this time, Lloyd had lost contact with her Hollywood connections, and had had to sell the London apartment which she had bought with her film earnings.
[19] In 2005, she was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, and told Suzanne Kerrins from the Sunday Mirror that while she did receive film offers, she was focusing on getting better.