Sean Astin Net Worth

Sean Astin's Quotes

• I was told I had to gain a lot of weight because Hobbits are very portly. Peter [Peter Jackson] is forever suggesting I have more food: "A little more food for Mr. Astin."
• [refuting the remarks of cast and crew that he IS Samwise Gamgee] But I'm not really Sam . . . nobody could be that good, that noble. He's just better than the rest of us. I'm a lot more Hollywood than Sam would ever be.
• I'd never heard of the "Lord of the Rings", actually. So I went to the bookstore and there it was, three shelves of books about Tolkien and Middle-earth, and I was like, "Holy cow, what else am I missing out on?"
• [12/18/03, about the scene in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) in which Sam helps Frodo up Mount Doom] It was an incredible acting experience, being on the side of a volcano with that language. That language is so beautiful: "It'll be springtime soon, and they'll be sowing barley on the fields." When Peter [Peter Jackson] came up to tell me to lower my arm, something like that, tears were streaming down his face, and to see him that emotional just forced me into it . . . It [finally seeing the last three reels of the film] was a huge cry. It was all of the tension and stress and pressure of having a wife and children, having a career, the investment of these movies. I was sobbing and heaving, I could barely breathe, and the movie facilitated that. It was just a huge release.
• [12/14/03, on his character Sam Gamgee] I spent the film doing lots of things, but the crying is what lived. He [Peter Jackson] tricks you into thinking you're going to get to do all these brave, heroic things most of the time, and you have to cry once in a while . . . and then he cuts out the heroic moments and you're left thinking, "I look like a big baby".

Interesting Facts about Sean Astin

1. First daughter Ali Astin was born. [November 1996]
2. Older brother of actor Mackenzie Astin.
3. Has three other half brothers: David, Allen and Tom.
4. Son of Michael Tell and actress Patty Duke.
5. 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.
6. His biological father is actually Michael Tell, whom Patty Duke was married to for less than a month in 1970. Sean was adopted at age 3 by John Astin, but considers both men to be his father.
7. Graduated from UCLA with honors & a B.A. in History & English.
8. 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).
9. August 6, 2002, welcomed second child daughter Elizabeth Louise.
10. During a break in principal photography from the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, Astin directed trilogy director Peter Jackson and fellow cast members in a five-minute short film, The Long and Short of It (2003), about camaraderie and friendship within difficult working environments, which mirrored a significant theme of the trilogy. Astin was able to borrow a cutting-edge digital camera from Lucasfilm representatives (who had been demonstrating the camera for Jackson) for a day to make the short. The film was included as a bonus on the DVD release of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002).
11. Had to gain 35 to 40 pounds for his role of Samwise 'Sam' Gamgee in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
12. In February 2003, Sean was appointed to the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.
13. 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.
14. While filming The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), Astin (as Samwise Gamgee) 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.
15. Appeared at Wizard World signing autographs on August 9, 2003.
16. Started his own production company, Lava Entertainment, in the late 1980s.
17. Attended Crossroads High School in Santa Monica, California, with actor/musician Jack Black. Was cast in a school play/film when Black backed out.
18. Wanted to direct Fantastic Four (2005) at one point.
19. Calls four people "Dad": John Astin, Desi Arnaz Jr., Mike Tell and Michael Pearce (his step-father).
20. September 2004 - Attended the Armaggeddon Pulp Culture Expo Convention in Wellington, New Zealand, as a Lord of the Rings guest.