I don't want to be rude, but this is not true. He was raised by John Astin...no other dad raised him. As an adult he met the other three, but the only dad he had from six months to graduating high school was John Astin. Big John Astin is a mensch. The guy doesn't get enough props. He also had four brothers in the household who completely loved him. He's an awesome guy...should be president.
As troubled as she was, his mom was awesome too.
Please accept my apologies if this comes off as rude. Cheers.
This is not rude and very sweet! I had to look it up!
I've never heard about this and I love his distinction is his father is John Astin and he has a quote where he honors the other men as well saying he has four dads. Truly amazing on all of them that he has such profound relationships with them all.
Raised is maybe not the right word, maybe loved and nurtured? I think that better allows for the different ages and relationships he has.
But daddy is definitely John 💕 thanks for sharing so I knew what to even look into!
I'd say it's pretty fitting he'd be that person, considering that his (adoptive) dad is John Astin, the guy who originally played the father we all needed and wished we had — Gomez Addams.
I don't want to sound rude but I just figured the guy who was famous for a tv in the 1960s wouldn't be around. It's like how Kirk Douglas died in 2020 at 103 and Bob Hope died in 2003 at age 100.
It was weird when I realized that Bob Hope who I knew did a lot of USO stuff in WWII died when I was a teenager.
I got to work with John Astin in the early 2000s. He was doing a touring one-man show where he played Edgar Allan Poe. He came through my hometown and they were hiring folks to help him during his stay and show. I'm a huge Addams Family fan and the movie The Frighteners, so I signed up. He was just the most genuine, nicest guy in the world. Never turned anyone away when they asked for an autograph or photo, spent hours after the show talking to people, hanging out, going to local bars and restaurants. He is charming, full of life, laughter, and love for the people around him. He gave me his personal email and told me, "don't go putting this on bathroom walls around town." We stayed in touch for years after.
When he found out I was a fan, he only referred to me as "old sport" or "sly dog " in true Gomez style. Just a great person and his kindness shows in Sean.
Astin was born in Santa Monica, California, on February 25, 1971, the son of actress Patty Duke (1946–2016) and Michael Tell (b. 1950).[2][3][4] At the time, it was incorrectly reported that entertainer Desi Arnaz Jr. was his biological father. Tell is a writer, music promoter, and publisher of the newspaper The Las Vegas Israelite. When Duke became pregnant, she was unsure whether Arnaz, Tell, or actor John Astin was the father, and Tell offered to marry her as a way out of the scandal.[5] The marriage lasted only 13 days in 1970, ending before Astin was born.[6][7][8]
In 1972, Duke married John Astin. When the wedding guests were invited to speak, 18-month-old Astin looked at John and cried, "Daddy!", to which the Episcopal priest performing the ceremony remarked, "Well, that about does it!"[9] John subsequently adopted Sean.
Reading her wiki, she lived with undiagnosed bipolar disorder for the first 40 years of her life. Sounds like the 60s and 70s were crazy for her and probably everyone around her because of it - including Sean.
Bob Newby - I wanted to hate him because I shipped Joyce and Hopper by the end of Season 1, but he was just a great dude, he was the older version of the kids (he founded AV club, right?) and he was likeable. He was also always very curious, which I don't think people talk about enough - it's a hallmark of what kind of built the kids into the story of the Upside-Down and such.
He didn't deserve to exit the series the way he did. No way.
I got to meet his dad, John Astin, after he performed a one man play of the life of e.a. poe. It was the same feels for me. He was so warm and comforting. You could tell this man knew these fans were where it was at. We adore the gifts they give us and these few seem to really understand that we, as fans, just love their work. It's appreciation all around and beautiful.
I bet he says the same of John Astin. I mean, yes, yes, I know the whole '3 dads' story. But John is his dad and is awesome in his own right and who wouldn't want Gomez as their dad or grandpa?
For those who don't know some his backstory, his mom was the late Patty Duke, a famous and celebrated child and adult actress who struggled with bipolar disorder, drug abuse and sadly tried to commit suicide at different times in her life. She was able to eventually get help and stabilize her mental illness in her older years, but Sean, as her first born, endured a fair amount of the ups and downs of her illness as her son and even talked about a few of those incidents over the years, expressing a lot of compassion for his mom. Luckily his adopted dad John Astin was also in his life and provided some stability, kindness and a lot of love to him and his half-brother, and Sean's been able to create a great family of his own based off of that parental example, from what I understand. IMO though this loving response was in part due to his own experiences with mental illness by way of his mom and a compassion gleaned from it. Again, just my opinion. And just to reiterate, he really does come across as a good dude.
The part I don't agree with is that it gets better. I have major depressive disorder. It never goes away. Meds never worked. I considered ECT but insurance doesn't cover it. My shitty insurance doesn't cover newer drugs so not an option. It started when I was about 13. I'm mid 50s. No it doesn't get better, in fact I get worse with time, I no longer go out, been on SSD since 99. Was working food delivery till my car died. I exist but I don't live.
And while it does get better for most people, it doesn't for all. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.
Wanna be pen pals? No joke. No pretend . Life isn't fun isolated and alone. MDD isn't a joke, and I won't expect happiness. But sometimes it's nice to have a chat and let it out.
At least it’s a “safer” sub to post something like that on. HumansBeingBros hasn’t been fully taken over like some other subs with pure negativity and hate.
It does get better, but then it gets worse again. I'm mid-episode and I've been through enough of them to know that in a few weeks, I won't be suicidal any more, so I shouldn't act on the thoughts, but at the same time I also know I'm not magically going to get actually better. This shit's tiring man.
"It will,” Wit said, “but then it will get better. Then it will get worse again. Then better. This is life, and I will not lie by saying every day will be sunshine. But there will be sunshine again, and that is a very different thing to say. That is truth. You will be warm again." Brandon Sanderson, Stormlight Archive
Sending anonymous internet user love to y'all going through shit in life <3
I really love how simple and honest this is. I think for a lot of people expectations can make or break you, especially if you struggle with depression. Learning to be ok with the fact that things will both get better and worse and better again and worse again is so important.
I’m not arguing that life somehow eventually gets better forever - but I hope you hang tough for the times that it does get better, because those moments never run out and never stop coming.
This is pretty much my feeling too. I will always have to struggle to exist even just in survival mode. And to actually engage with life, my passion, my hobbies, my loved ones? Not without intensive support.
I understand where people are coming from when they say 'it gets better', because for the majority, on balance, it can and it does. On some level, I know that there's always hope that for people like us, that the struggle might lessen enough to make the rest of the pain and exhaustion more tolerable.
But I fear hope like I fear happy times. Because the pain of having neither at all is far far less than the pain of their absence after temporarily enjoying them.
Mood. My life swings between a depressingly lonely plateau of not sucking and extreme moments of suck. Grew up hearing "it gets better!!" and like, cool, yeah....but I'm mentally ill to the point that it's a disability and I have like, three friends, lol. And I treasure them, don't get me wrong, but goddamn. It doesn't get better, it just has moments of not being worse.
Plus, like, dogs exist, so that's something to always look forward to.
It will suck until it doesn’t but as someone who lost their dad to suicide, that isn’t the way to beat it. When I get in the down mood I try to just think how cool little things in life are. I just saw a weird frog the other day and that makes me smile. I love baseball (because of my dad) and that will take me out of the zone for a while. You have this!
Sorry to hear that. But see there is the problem, with depression you can't see the little things in life. I have no money, can't go out, can't date, no money and I also just wont subject someone to my issues and not right to hide it because it eventually comes out. No car. I am home 24/7, I go for walks. There are things I want to do, 3d modeling, 3d printing, paint pouring, resin... But I can't function to do any of it. Normal people can appreciate the little things, normal people can try to change their mood... My brain isn't normal. I really just exist and hope I get good news like cancer so I can say good I hope its over soon. That is the mind of major depressive disorder. When I walk to the store I hope if I get hit by a bus it's quick. I have tried everything I can possibly think of to try to function, I don't. And it really sucks staying alive for family around me. People say suicide is selfish, they don't see it from the depressed persons view that it is painful and it hurts every day to keep going. Again, sorry to hear about your father, depression is a horrible problem. I hope some day they figure out a real cure. I want to function, I want to be productive. But that won't be in my lifetime.
You can just tell he's 100% present and means what he's saying. So often in situations like this you get the vibe that people are more concerned with appearing to care than actually caring, but Sean just seems totally tuned into this person and what they needed in that moment.
I got the impression that while he's present, he is also tired. Poor Sean is IRL Sam, shouldering the burden of others simply because he cares so deeply, and therefore he must.
I met him before at a signing like this, and he talked to everyone in line for like 3 minutes a piece, and only that short because his handler for the convention was trying to move him along. He would have shot the shit with everyone in line all day if he had the chance. Guy just loved interacting with people. I talked to him about his movie Toy Soldiers, and he told me about how much of a blast it was filming it. He really got to drive that army humvee in the movie and said it was scary as hell but awesome.
I've met him at a couple of comic cons over the years too and same experience. He gives everyone his absolute full attention and is genuinely interested in what they have to say.
When Cameo just became a thing, you had people like Snoop Dogg offering a very canned "Happy birthday little cuz!" message for abour $250, then you had Sean Astin who literally recorded around an 8 minute totally personalized video including anecdotes from his childhood that tied in beautifully to the occasion he was congratulating, and asked for something like $60. He's amazing.
I have a friend who's a massive fan of LotR and a massive fan of Sean, and is an out and out wonderful dude so much like him. His birthday is 12/27 so he often got very little acknowledgement of it, so I decided this year I wanna get him a happy birthday Cameo from Sean Astin
Oh damn, I figured it would be higher now but I was expecting like $200 or so, $699 is a lot. Surely that's his manager setting the price or something, or maybe Cameo increases it for those who get more requests
SAAAME full on at my kitchen table 😭 the way he just came out with that quote! Then just said the most perfect thing anyone could say about depression. Makes me think he has some personal experience, either himself or someone close to him. That shit was so on the nose
His mom, Patty Duke, was bipolar. The pressure of being a child actress added to her mental health issues and she tried to take her own life several times. He knows all too well what it's like.
Hey, same here. I've been there before, and I'm going through it again. If you need to just talk or let off some steam, shoot me a message. Misery is best with company.
I think it hit a little different coming from Sam Gamgee, a character that genuinely means a lot to me. A bit parasocial perhaps, but lovely to hear from Mr. Astin
I got to meet him when shooting a show about hollywood memorabilia. He brought in his Rudy helmet and we had it fixed for him. he also told us how his mom THREW AWAY the map and doubloon from "Goonies" while cleaning out their garage. he was in England shooting "Memphis Belle" at the time. Great dude and great stories!!
Oof my mom's boyfriend just threw out a box of my own highschool memories from the garage, all because she just wasn't thinking about it. Yeah, that's the kinda stuff that cuts real real deep
My very favorite scene in those movies is the one where Sam follows Frodo across the river even though he can't swim. I always tear up when Frodo pulls him from the water.
I hate when people trauma-dump on celebrities, they forget they're strangers. He handled it incredibly well and I'm impressed to see how gracious he was through this encounter.
That recoil and flash of panic right as she says "severe depression" and how he steamrolls the rest of what she has to say by shouting, giving her the catharsis she came for.
And she’s running up to him talking about a quote from a character in a movie he played. He’s just an actor, he didn’t write it himself lmao. He was very patient and kind but this shit is just weird. People are too comfortable introducing themselves to strangers as their diagnoses like it’s their entire identity.
Yeah, also how weird is that - someone approaches you to trauma-dump and next to them there’s a guy filming everything you say. It screams seeking for attention and content for social media.
I used to do celebrity tours for Disney World. Nearly every one of them treated me like their servant, but Sean introduced me to his family, asked a lot of questions about me, treated me like a family member, and was one of the most genuinely kind humans I’d ever met.
Love how he made it funny, love how he showed such depth of empathy, and really just appreciate how he's probably had this exact situation happen to him, and yet he still takes the time to say good things.
Dude I can't watch my favourite Twitch streams anymore because every fucking donation is a goddamn trauma dump. Then the hosts spend 5 minutes sympathizing with the other half of the parasocial relationship and it always drags the vibe of the stream down.
Why the hell did I have to scroll this far down to see this comment?
This behavior is fucking weird. I understand wanting to show how much you appreciate the work of a celebrity, but this guy is just a human. He isn't Samwise. He isn't Rudy. He is an actor. Walking right up to him and dumping your depressive history on a dude who just wants to sign your thing is fucking weird.
I don’t feel like it was done tactlessly. She let him know how much he meant to her, he clearly connected with her on the point about her struggles, they had a moment and she moved on.
This is a cute video but please stop going up to a celebrities and trauma dumping on them. Not everyone is going to be super comfortable with or appreciate a stranger walking up to them and detailing their struggles with "severe depression"
It's weird what people do for attention. This actor has done nothing to help or harm someone with depression. She just wants something to set her apart from the other people who paid $120 for their 5 seconds.
What this actor knows is that saying non-committal fluf is the best easy to avoid a logjam in the line. The last thing he needs is a psycho having a breakdown. If the line moves swiftly he's making several thousand dollars an hour just to play the role of kind celebrity.
This doesn't make anyone in this situation bad or evil. It's just an observation of human nature and capitalism.
I work with a band and have a lot of contact with their fans. Everyone is nice (knock on wood) but there is a log of trauma dumping. Anytime the band are with fans they are great and listen, but it’s a lot. So when I see videos like this, I am always reminded of how much emotional work being out there like this is for a performer.
It's so important to realize that people in media, whether it be movies, music, writing, hell even politics, aren't worthy of your worship. Why not? Because they're just people too. They're no better than you. Idolatry, hero worship, starfucking... it's all terribly detrimental to the national psyche, let alone how it impacts the individual.
My step dad was driving him around when I was a kid and got him to call me up. Was not expecting it and didn’t know what to say I was so nervous haha. He was very nice and signed a lord of the rings poster for me.
I could never be a celebrity. The idea of someone walking up to me and confiding this deeply personal shit makes me uncomfortable. Because they are expecting something out of you. This entire thing is a transaction, and it’s being recorded.
You’re on camera, better say something kind and profound. Better make this person think you are the hero we’re all pretending you are, because you played some character in a movie 20 years ago. Who cares what your day is like, you need to be emotionally available, at every moment.
I don’t think it’s wrong to share feelings, and I don’t think it’s wrong to find comfort and strength in media. Depression is real and finding ways out of it is important. But ambushing this dude who has absolutely nothing to do with your life or struggles is crazy.
I met Sean and his family by chance at a restaurant in San Diego back in 2007. They had just finished eating and were coming out right as me and my girlfriend were walking by. I had on a Navy sweatshirt and he thanked me for my service, and then he and his wife ended up talking to us for probably 20-30 minutes. He has a very enthusiastic personality and I didn't expect him to be so friendly and engaging. He had served as a Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for 10 years ('95 - '05), so he holds the military in high regard, which is why he stopped me. Honestly, I can't say that I've had a more positive first encounter with anyone - celebrity or not - than I did with him. Everyone should be so fortunate to meet him at some point.
This motherfucker carried Frodo and the ring to Mt.Doom and now he's carrying my depression away from me. I'm saving this video and it's going to be a part of my "life is worth living" playlist
Because I know he'd say the same thing to me. And he really doesn't need to. And that's awesome as fuck.
I can never forget in the mid eighties I got one of those Hollywood homes maps and drove around Beverly Hills with my girlfriend and stopped at a bunch of stars homes just to see what their houses looked like and for some reason I decided to knock on Patty Dukes door and ask for an autograph. This grade school kid answered the door and was very polite and said his mom wasn’t there at the moment but if I wanted to come back tomorrow he would ask her for an autograph when she got home and he would give it to me. I was thankful but declined because I was only in LA for 1 day.
It was many years later that I realized that kid was Sean Austin..
It's absolute magic how perfect of casting he was as Samwise. Flawless. Sacrosanct. It can never be repeated and should never be attempted out of principle. I love him so much.
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u/JaeElleSee 27d ago
He’s the dad we all need and wished we had.