Sean Astin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sean Astin
Astin at the 2016 Phoenix Comicon Fan Fest
Born	Sean Patrick Duke (1971-02-25) February 25, 1971 (age 54) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Los Angeles Valley College University of California, Los Angeles (BA) American University (MPAP)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1981–present
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Christine Harrell ​ (m. 1992)​
Children	3
Parent(s)	Patty Duke (mother) John Astin (adoptive father)
Relatives	Mackenzie Astin (brother) Alexander Astin (adoptive uncle) Allen V. Astin (adoptive grandfather)

Sean Patrick Astin (born February 25, 1971) is an American actor. He is famous for playing Mikey Walsh in The Goonies (1985). He also played Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings movies (2001–2003). Later, he was the voice of Oso in Special Agent Oso (2009–2012). He voiced Raphael in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012–2017). Many fans also know him as Bob Newby from Netflix's Stranger Things (2017).

Sean Astin has won several awards for his acting. These include a Screen Actors Guild Award and two Young Artist Awards. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 1994. This was for a short film he directed called Kangaroo Court. Sean is the son of actress Patty Duke. He was adopted by actor John Astin in 1972.

Early Life and Family

Sean Astin was born in Santa Monica, California, on February 25, 1971. His mother was the actress Patty Duke. When Sean was a baby, his mother married actor John Astin. John adopted Sean, and Sean grew up calling him "Daddy." In 1973, Sean's brother Mackenzie Astin was born. Mackenzie also became an actor.

Sean has a special family story. He considers John Astin his father because John raised him. He also has a close relationship with his biological father, Michael Tell. Sean has said he feels lucky to have "four dads" who love him.

Sean went to the Crossroads High School for the Arts. He also studied acting at the Stella Adler Conservatory. He later graduated from UCLA with degrees in History and English.

Acting Career

First Roles and Early Movies

Astin in 1997

Sean Astin's first acting job was in a TV movie in 1981. It was called Please Don't Hit Me, Mom. He played an eight-year-old boy. His real-life mother, Patty Duke, played his mom in the film.

His first big movie role was at age 13. He played Mikey Walsh in The Goonies (1985). This movie is still very popular today.

After The Goonies, Sean appeared in many other films. These include Like Father Like Son (1987) and The War of the Roses (1989). He was also in the World War II film Memphis Belle (1990). In 1991, he starred in Toy Soldiers. He also played Dave Morgan in Encino Man (1992). One of his most famous early roles was playing Daniel Ruettiger in Rudy (1993). This movie is about a young man who dreams of playing college football.

In 1994, Sean directed a short film called Kangaroo Court. His wife, Christine Astin, helped produce it. The film was nominated for an Academy Award.

The Lord of the Rings Films

In the early 2000s, Sean Astin took on a huge role. He played Samwise Gamgee in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. These movies are The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), and The Return of the King (2003).

The Lord of the Rings movies won many awards. The last movie, The Return of the King, won eleven Academy Awards. This included Best Picture. Sean Astin himself won several awards for his role as Samwise. He became very good friends with the other actors, especially Elijah Wood. Sean's daughter, Alexandra, even appeared in the final scene of The Return of the King. She played his character's daughter, Elanor.

While making these movies, Sean also directed another short film. It was called The Long and Short of It. This film was shown at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.

In 2004, Sean wrote a book about his acting journey. It was called There and Back Again. The book focused on his experiences making The Lord of the Rings. The title comes from J. R. R. Tolkien's book The Hobbit.

Recent Work

Astin at UIUC in 2009

After The Lord of the Rings, Sean Astin continued to act in movies and TV shows. He appeared in comedies like 50 First Dates and Click with Adam Sandler.

On television, he played Lynn McGill in ten episodes of the show 24. He also appeared in shows like Monk and My Name Is Earl. Sean also directed an episode of the TV series Angel in 2003.

Sean Astin has also done a lot of voice-over work. He narrated the show Meerkat Manor for Animal Planet. He voiced the main character in Special Agent Oso. This show aired on Playhouse Disney and Disney Junior. He also voiced Kodi in Balto III: Wings of Change. From 2012 to 2017, he voiced Raphael in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series on Nickelodeon.

In 2010, Sean and his wife, Christine, started working on a film. It is based on Lois Lowry's award-winning book Number the Stars. They bought the rights to the book and planned to direct and produce the movie themselves.

In 2014, Sean played a soldier in Boys of Abu Ghraib. He also joined the cast of the FX show The Strain as Jim Kent. In 2015, he played Hank Erwin in the movie Woodlawn. This film tells the story of a high school football team that overcame racism.

In 2017, Sean Astin played Bob Newby in the second season of Stranger Things. This role made him very popular with a new generation of fans. He appeared in flashback scenes in the third season too. In 2019, he was Dr. Greg Pemberton on The Big Bang Theory. He also had a guest role on Supergirl. That same year, he starred in the Netflix show No Good Nick as Ed. He also appeared in Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

In 2020, Sean joined Josh Gad's YouTube series Reunited Apart. This show brings together casts of famous films online. Sean reunited with his Lord of the Rings castmates and director Peter Jackson.

Sean narrated the 2023 comedy film Go West. In November 2024, Sean made his Broadway debut. He played Santa Claus in a new version of Elf the Musical.

Personal Life

Sean Astin married Christine Harrell on July 11, 1992. They have three daughters: Alexandra, Elizabeth, and Isabella. His daughter Alexandra had a small role in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. She played Elanor Gamgee, his character's daughter.

Sean has a special tattoo on his ankle. It says "nine" in the Tengwar script. This tattoo celebrates his role in Lord of the Rings. Seven other actors from the "Fellowship of the Ring" also have the same tattoo.

Sean is a Christian. He completed the Dopey Challenge at the Walt Disney World Resort in January 2015. This challenge involves running four races on four days. In October 2015, he also finished the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. This is a very tough race that includes swimming, biking, and running.

Sean completed his master's degree in public administration and policy at American University. In 2024, American University gave him an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. He was also the main speaker at their graduation ceremony. In March 2025, Sean worked with LEGO to launch a special The Shire set. He appeared in a video building the set.

Public Service and Politics

Sean Astin has been involved in public service. From 1995 to 2005, he served as a Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army. He also served on the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.

Sean supports the Democratic Party. He has helped with political campaigns. He believes it's important to be involved in choosing leaders for the country. In September 2024, he encouraged California Governor Gavin Newsom to sign a bill about AI safety.

Filmography

Film

Television

Web series

Video games

Awards and Nominations