Sean Astin

Sean wanted to direct Fantastic Four (2005) at one point.

In February 2003, Sean was appointed to the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.

Sean is the son of actor John Astin and actress Patty Duke.

Sean graduated from UCLA with honors & a B.A. in History & English.

Sean's daughter made her acting debut in Lord of the Rings as a young hobbit in Sam Gamgee's family.

Sean gained 30 pounds to secure the role of Sam on Lord of the Rings.

Sean lost the lead role in Toy Soldiers to Wil Wheaton.

Sean won his second Young Artist Award for the film, Staying Together.

When Sean was 13, Steven Spielberg handpicked him to star as Mikey Walsh in The Goonies.

Sean once considered a law career.

Sean had not only starred in at least ten movies, but also directed a short film and formed his own production company all before his 21st birthday.

In June 2006 Sean was in Norway and Cedar Rapids Iowa shooting a movie called the Last Season with Tom Arnold and Rachael Leigh Cook.

Has three children. Alexandra (27th November 1996), Elizabeth (6th August 2002), and Isabella (22nd July 2005).

Married wife Christine on 11th July 1992.

Sean and his wife Christine had their third child on July 22, 2005. They named her Isabella Louise; she has two older sisters, Alexandra (8), and Elizabeth (2).

Height 5' 6" (1.68 m)-- Daughter born: Alexandra Astin. [27 November 1996]-- Brother of actor Mackenzie Astin-- Has three other half brothers: David, Allen and Tom-- Left the room halfway during recording DVD commentary for The Goonies (1985) and never returned. The recording session started late, and Sean had an earlier commitment to introduce friend Joe Pantoliano who was M.C.'ing at a local theatre. Left the recording studio to change clothes, then returned to explain why he had to leave, give a "shout out to Joey Pants," and left an action figure of Sam Gamgee to take his place. However, the departure and explanation were edited out by the DVD producers.-- His biological father is actually 'Michael Tell' , whom Patty Duke was married to for only a month in 1970. Sean was adopted at age 3 by John Astin, but considers both men to be his father.-- On 4 December 2001, Sean had his image as "Samwise Gamgee" immortalized on a 90 cent New Zealand postage stamp that he shares with Lord of the Rings co-star Elijah Wood ('Frodo Baggins'). However, Sean's last name is spelled incorrectly on the presentation pack of the stamps (Austin instead of Astin).-- August 6 2002, welcomed second child daughter Elizabeth Louise.-- During principal photography for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Astin directed trilogy director Peter Jackson and fellow cast members in a documentary short about cameraderie and friendship within difficult working environments. This topic mirrored a significant theme of the trilogy.-- Announced at the Texas Film Festival on 22 February 2003 that he has optioned the book "Issac's Storm" and is planning on shooting an epic film centered around the Galveston Hurricane of 1900.-- While filming The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) ran into a lake to stop Frodo (Elijah Wood). When he did this, he stepped on a piece of glass and had to be rushed to the hospital. He received many stitches to repair the injury.-- Appeared at Wizard World signing autographs on August 9 2003-- Started his own production company, Lava Entertainment, in the late '80s.-- Attended Crossroads High School in Santa Monica, California with actor/musician Jack Black. Was cast in a school play/film when Black backed out.-- Eyes are hazel, yet tend to change from brown to green depending on what he wears.-- Wanted to direct Fantastic Four (2005) at one point.-- Calls four people "Dad": John Astin, Desi Arnaz Jr., 'Mike Tell' and Mike Pearce (his step-father).-- September 2004 - Attended the Armaggeddon Pulp Culture Expo Convention in Wellington, New Zealand as a Lord of the Rings guest-- Is the second actor from a Lord of the Rings adaptation to have a relative in an Addams Family adaptation. His father, John Astin, played Gomez on "The Addams Family" (1964). John Huston, who voiced Gandalf in the animated version of The Return of the King (1980) (TV), is the father of Anjelica Huston, who played Morticia in the films.-- The title of his autobiography, There and Back Again, is actually the alternate title for The Hobbit, and, in the story, is the title of Bilbo Baggins's autobiography.-- Nephew of Ray Duke.-- Christine is expecting their 3rd child in the summer of 2005-- He is a Verizon Literacy Champion and the National Center for Family Literacy celebrity spokesperson.