Profile of Sean Astin on Famous Like Me

Sean Astin (born February 25, 1971) is a film actor, director, and producer. He is the son of actors Patty Duke and John Astin (although his biological father is Michael Tell, a Jewish-American writer who divorced Patty Duke shortly before her marriage to Astin). At the time of his birth, it was widely assumed that his biological father was Desi Arnaz, Jr. Sean is the older brother of Mackenzie Astin, also an actor (in The Facts of Life).

Biography

Astin has gained much of his acting fame from several major roles. At age 13, he debuted on the silver screen as Mikey in The Goonies (1985). He had a small role in 1989's The War of the Roses and in 1993 got the memorable part as the title character in Rudy. Astin most recently played Samwise Gamgee in Peter Jackson's the Lord of the Rings movies.

In 1994, he directed and co-produced (with his wife, Christine) the Academy Award nominated short film Kangaroo Court.

While working on The Two Towers he persuaded a number of fellow cast and crew members, including director Peter Jackson, to act in or work as crew on his short film, The Long and Short of It (2003), which takes place on a street in Wellington, New Zealand. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, 2003, and appears on the "standard edition" DVD of The Two Towers as an extra feature together with a "making of" video.

His book There and Back Again: An Actor's Tale (2004, ISBN 0312331460), co-written by Joe Layden, is an account of his experiences before, during and after filming the Lord of the Rings movies. The title is of course derived from the subtitle of The Hobbit by Lord of the Rings author J. R. R. Tolkien.

A devoted family man, he and his wife Christine have three daughters, Alexandra (b. November 27, 1996), Elizabeth (b. August 6th, 2002) and Isabella (b. July 22, 2005) all with the same middle name of Louise.

Astin has signed on to guest star in the fifth season of the FOX drama 24.

Filmography

Films Sean Astin acted in:

• Into the West (2005)
• Bigger Than the Sky (2005)
• Smile (2005)
• Mark Twain's Greatest Adventure: 'It's a Matter of Time' (2004)
• Party Wagon (2004) (TV)
• Elvis Has Left the Building (2004)
• Slipstream (2004)
• 50 First Dates (2004)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
• The Sky Is Falling (2000)
• The Last Producer (2000) (indie)
• Icebreaker (1999)
• Deterrence (1999) (indie)
• Kimberly (1999) (indie)
• Boy Meets Girl (1998) (indie)
• Bulworth (1998)
• The Long Way Home (1997)
• Courage Under Fire (1996)
• Safe Passage (1995)
• Harrison Bergeron(1995)
• The Low Life (1994)
• Teresa's Tatoo (1994)
• Rudy (1993)
• Where the Day Takes You (1992)
• Encino Man (1992)
• The Willies (1991)
• Toy Soldiers (1991)
• Memphis Belle (1990)
• The War of the Roses (1989)
• Staying Together (1989)
• Like Father Like Son (1987)
• White Water Summer (1987)
• Brat Patrol {1986}
• The Goonies (1985)

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