Sean Astin, who starred in 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Rudy,' is elected as SAG-AFTRA's new president

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated 2:43 PM CDT, September 13, 2025

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The union that represents tens of thousands of actors and other entertainment and media professionals has elected Sean Astin as its new president.

On Friday, SAG-AFTRA elected Astin — an actor who appeared in “The Lord of the Rings,” “Stranger Things” and “Rudy” — to succeed Fran Drescher as its president. Astin is the son of the late Academy Award-winning actress Patty Duke and John Astin, who starred in the 1960s TV series “The Addams Family.”

Sean Astin defeated Chuck Slavin in a 79% to 21% vote. Michelle Hurd was elected secretary-treasurer.

Patty Duke, Sean Astin’s mother, served as the Screen Actors Guild’s president from 1985-1988.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/sean-astin-president-sag-aftra-ae3b38912a9dea91cc1c00ef421e2d1a

[Dr. Shepper]

1. Also starred in the Goonies

Which is one of this gen x’ers favorites.

[Polybius]

18. Yeah, I don't know how they put "Rudy" in the headline over Goonies

Had to have been written by a Boomer or Millennial.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. And he played a simply monstrous character on an episode of "Monk!"

[Murphyb849]

3. Stranger Things

I loved his character, Bob the Brain, and cried when he died.
Loved him in LOTR as well

[Ilsa]

4. He played a replacement agent in one season of 24.

Good story for his character. Didn't last all season though.

[LeftInTX]

5. I remember when he was born....

[synni]

7. Like mother, like son

I hope she can see this from heaven.

[wolfie001]

11. I grew up watching 'The Patty Duke Show' in the '60s as a kid

I still can sing the lyrics to the show theme. She was such a doll! He seems like a good dude.

[ananda]

17. Boy, your memory is better than mine.

I remember the show vaguely, but not the song.

[wolfie001]

19. lol

Young boy obsessed. One of twins had the refined English accent. Hilarious.

[Buddyzbuddy]

8. I retract this statement, If memory serves me, last I heard is that he's a Republican.

I heard that directly from him in an interview he gave about the time of the first Lord of the Rings.
It's possible he has changed since.
Then again, Ronnie Ray gun was a Democrat and President of the actor's union.

[wishstar]

9. Definitely not since he actively campaigned for Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris

Sean was on a group call with Mark Hamill in support of Harris last year

[wolfie001]

12. Thanks for that tidbit!

[Omaha Steve]

13. Nope

https://www.democraticunderground.com/111717557#post3

When I was in MD in 2016,
Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)
Sat Sep 13, 2025, 12:28 PM

working the phones for HRC during the primaries, he stopped by and chatted with all of us who were there, giving us words or encouragement.

He's a really nice guy and had sincere words for all of us. He also said that he had been a hard-core HRC fan ever since the famous speech where she declared that all human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights.

He wondered why SHE wasn't the President then!

[Buddyzbuddy]

14. Thank you for the update, retraction forthcoming.

[Buddyzbuddy]

15. Thank you for the update, retraction forthcoming.

[Martin Eden]

10. Samwise Gamgee is among the greatest heroes in fiction

I'm sure Sean Astin will do a fine job.

[catbyte]

16. He was an enthusiastic delegate from Indiana at the 2024 Democratic National Convention

He'll make a great president.

[CBHagman]

20. I remember the roll call but not his presence. So here's the video.

For those of us who missed the vote from Indiana, here it is.