Jack Veal, a child actor known for playing Kid Loki in the first season of Marvel’s Loki, was rejoicing last Wednesday (Dec 4) after a public plea for homelessness help went viral online, leading to the 17-year-old finding foster placement.
“Hi. I’m a famous actor, I’m 17 and I’m homeless,” Jack said in a TikTok video shared on Dec 1.
“You may know me from Loki, The End Of The F***ing World, or various other movies where I played important roles. I haven’t mentioned much about what’s been going on in my life, but I think it’s time to reveal the truth. Without delving too much into the details, I was abused at home. It was physical violence, emotional abuse, etcetera.”
According to the young actor, he’d been sleeping on the streets in an “unsafe” trailer with “smashed-out windows” because he had no family members he could stay with. He said he suffers from various mental health issues and was refused help by social services despite explaining his situation.
“I am desperate,” he said. “It’s difficult. Life is hard.”
A day later, Jack posted another video expressing appreciation for the flood of assistance offers and places to stay that rushed in after his first TikTok, but noted that he was looking for a permanent solution, a place to live in or near London, where he’s currently based.
“The objective here is to get help from the people who are meant to provide it – social services,” he said. “If I hop place to place, there will never be any stability in my life. In the state that I’m in, I need stability.”
On Dec 3, an exuberantly tearful Jack told followers that he’d finally heard from social services, who were going to meet with him regarding an emergency foster placement and other assistance.
“I don’t know what you guys have done, but it’s gotten out there and it really, really helped me,” he said. “ They’re taking action now. They’re actually doing something. So God bless you all.”
While that meeting didn’t initially go well, Veal said in another video, the “roller coaster” settled down shortly after. Councilor Michelline Safi-Ngongo, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Families, told TooFab in a statement that the agency was “ working hard to find both emergency support and a longer-term placement for Jack.”
Those efforts apparently bore fruit and on Wednesday, Jack declared himself “ no longer homeless.” He said he’d finally been given placement in a foster home, telling fans it “was all because of you.”
His father did not respond to requests for comment, according to People. – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service