Sean Astin is an American actor best known for his roles as Mikey Walsh in The Goonies, Daniel Ruettiger in Rudy and Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
He was born Sean Patrick Duke in 1971 to actress Patty Duke and later adopted by actor John Astin, whose surname he took.
Astin began acting as a child, starring in the TV movie Please Don’t Hit Me, Mom with his mother.
He has continued to act in film and television over the years, with notable roles in 50 First Dates, Click, Stranger Things and No Good Nick.
Astin has received various awards and nominations, including a Screen Actors Guild Award and two Young Artist Awards.
Siblings
Sean has several siblings.
His biological siblings include half-brother Mackenzie Astin, also an actor known for roles in The Facts of Life and Iron Will, as well as half-brother Kevin Astin.
Through his father John Astin’s previous marriage, Sean has two adopted brothers – Tom Astin and Allen Astin.
From his mother Patty Duke’s side, Sean has three half-brothers – Shaun Cassidy, a singer and actor known for The Hardy Boys Mysteries, as well as Ryan Cassidy and Brian Cassidy.
Career
Astin has had a prolific acting career spanning over four decades.
He began acting as a child, starring in the TV movie Please Don’t Hit Me, Mom with his mother Patty Duke.
Astin’s feature film debut was in the cult classic The Goonies, where he played the role of Mikey Walsh.
He continued to act in films throughout the 1990s, with notable roles in Toy Soldiers, Where the Day Takes You and the critically acclaimed Rudy where he portrayed the title character.
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Astin’s career breakthrough came in the early 2000s with his role as Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
His performance earned him numerous awards and nominations, including a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor.
In the years since, Astin has acted in a wide range of films and TV shows, including 50 First Dates, Click, Stranger Things and No Good Nick.
He has also done voice work for animated series and video games.
In addition to acting, Astin has directed, produced, and written.
He directed and co-produced the short film Kangaroo Court which was nominated for an Academy Award.
Astin authored the New York Times bestseller There and Back Again about his experiences filming the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Personal life
Astin has been married to actress and producer Christine Astin since 1992.
The couple has three children together: Alexandra “Ali” Louise Astin (born 1992), Elizabeth Louise “Lizzie” Astin (born 1997) and Isabella Louise Astin (born 2002).
Astin has also worked as a producer on some of her husband’s projects, including the short film Kangaroo Court which Sean directed.
The Astin family is known to be very close-knit.
Sean has spoken fondly about his wife and children in interviews over the years, crediting his family for providing him stability and support throughout his acting career.
