Sean Astin: Hope Unquenchable

Sean's final race before the LA Marathon

2012-02-22T22:21:00.002-05:00

Sean will be running this Saturday (his birthday!) in the 10K Race on the Base in Los Alamitos, CA. It will be his final "tune-up" race before the LA Marathon on March 18. The Race on the Base is held on the runways at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos and features helicopters, planes and military vehicles with music throughout the course.

Race on the Base Facebook page

Sean's NCIS episode: more info

2012-02-22T09:05:00.000-05:00

The NCIS episode 9:18 "The Tell," guest starring Sean Astin and Jamie Lee Curtis, is scheduled to air on March 20.

Hmm, a little Texas Hold 'Em anyone?

Photo by Michael Weatherly

Sean in Washington DC

2012-02-18T17:26:00.000-05:00

Sean is in Washington, DC this weekend. He explained why on his Twitter account.

Read from bottom up:

Sean's role on NCIS recurring? Oh yes, please!

2012-02-17T18:07:00.001-05:00

Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Sean's role on NCIS may be recurring.

Sandra, I’m still ecstatic about the news that Sean Astin is guesting on NCIS. Any more info on his role? Any fun scenes you can tease? — Courtney
Here’s a doozy: EP Gary Glasberg kinda let it slip that there may be more than one episode in Astin’s future! “He’ll be a fun add for the rest of the season,” Glasberg told me — to which I responded, “What the what?! As in MORE than one?” “We’ll see how it works out, but it may be more than one episode,” he added. For the record — and if it means anything — I vote yes!

I'll add a yes, pretty please to that!

Source

Meanwhile, NCIS regular Pauley Perrette posted a pic of her and Sean on her Twitter account.

Congratulations to Sean on getting Twitter verified!

2012-02-16T17:37:00.001-05:00

Now he just needs 26,200 followers by the LA Marathon March 18!

The little blue badge that certifies he is who he is!

NOTE: Sean has changed his twitter name to @SeanAstin.

Behind the scenes at NCIS

2012-02-15T20:02:00.001-05:00

Here are some behind the scenes photos from filming an episode of NCIS, expected to air the end of March.

Sean with Jamie Lee Curtis, posted by Michael Weatherly

Sean and Michael Weatherly, posted by Sean

More info here

Great review of Dorothy and the Witches of Oz

2012-02-15T14:13:00.004-05:00

Monsters and Critics gives Dorothy and the Witches of Oz a great review:

Dorothy and the Witches of Oz is simply a fun time at the movies. It manages to capture what an epic film of its scope should – pure entertainment from start to finish. …

Frick and Frack [Sean Astin] don’t have a “big” part in the movie, but they are hilarious if you listen to their quick jabs. [Billy] Boyd also brings a clever wit to the role and you have to love his interactions with fellow former Hobbit Astin.

Sean Astin as Frack and Ethan Embry as Frick

Read full review here

Dorothy and the Witches of Oz opens in limited release this Friday.

(Note: from the review's description, sounds like it is a significant re-edit from the 2-part miniseries.)

More clips from Sean on TORn Tuesday

2012-02-13T20:59:00.000-05:00

Sean lists the recent films he's been in:

Sean explains how Run3rd came about:

Sean shows off Samwise Gamgee's backpack and contents:

TORn Interview now online!

2012-02-12T17:18:00.000-05:00

Sean's interview with Cliff "Quickbeam" Broadway is now online!

http://www.theonering.net/live/ or http://stickam.com/theonering

If you have an iOS device, use the free Stickam app for iPad or iPhone and iPod Touch. (Note: I am having problems finding the video within the app. If anyone can help, please let me know!)

ETA: You can watch on iOS device here: http://vimeo.com/36793317

I'll be posting a list of highlights later! In the meantime, you can read the interview about running that Sean discusses.

Sean Discusses Risk Taking

2012-02-10T13:51:00.001-05:00

Last September, Sean attended a gathering before the start of the Story 2011 conference in Chicago. Victor Saad had the opportunity to talk briefly about his Leapyear Project with Sean, and blogged about it last November.

Today, Victor posted the full audio of their discussion about risk taking. Sean talks about the actions he took during a blackout in NYC (he says in 2006, but I think he means the 2003 blackout) and his Number the Stars movie project.

Sean concludes by saying "Anytime someone of good faith takes in upon themselves to call others to action and then leads by example is a sacred thing."

Sounds like his Run3rd project to me!

Listen here.

Photo by Victor Saad

"Watchbird" on Science Channel Feb 12/13

2012-02-09T17:52:00.002-05:00

Sean's episode of Stephen Hawking's Sci Fi Masters is scheduled to air on Sunday February 12 at 10pm and Monday, February 13 at 1am. "Watchbird" costars James Cromwell. Check your local listings to verify.

A magnificent weapon of war is then deployed to make America's streets safe, and make Vigilance Technologies very rich. But when powerful men seek more power, the Watchbirds carry out their programmed mission under their own initiative.

Update: Additional airings on Feb 22, 24, see source for details.

Source

Sean as Charlie Kramer

Clips from Sean's live chat on TheOneRing.net

2012-02-09T14:22:00.000-05:00

These clips are courtesy of SeanAstinZone.com. We hope TheOneRing.net will put up the full video soon!

Sean mentions this blog and my twitter account!

Sean talks about the variety of roles he's played recently, Tolkien and the power of literature and mythology, allegory vs. applicability, and more.

Sean shows off amazing Lord of the Rings props, including Sam's backpack, pots and pans, and Elanor's dress! Sean and Cliff also discuss the Screen Actors' Guild award, Twitter verification and Sean's Run3rd project.

Sean on TORn and "There and Back Again" review

2012-02-08T21:13:00.001-05:00

If you missed last night's live chat between Sean and Cliff "Quickbeam" Broadway on TheOneRing.net, JW Braun bullet points some of the highlights on his blog. He also reposted his written review of Sean's autobiography "There and Back Again: An Actor's Tale" in the same article. (Thank you, JW!)

For those who prefer their book reviews in video format… ;-)

You can purchase Sean's book at Amazon and other book sellers, and find it used on eBay. There's also an abridged audio version; hearing the words in Sean's own voice brings an added layer of meaning and greater understanding to his story.

While you're at it, you might also want to check out JW's book, "The Lord of the Films," which is full of fascinating behind the scenes details, fun trivia, interviews with the film makers and more.

Sean's new Facebook photo and post

2012-02-07T06:06:00.000-05:00

Sean has posted a new profile photo on his Facebook page, Carl from the upcoming WWII movie "Little Boy."

Check out his other new profile photos.

He also posted the sunset run pic with the following text:

"As the #run3rd concept has really taken off...I'm finding new ways to support the effort. Christine was kind enough to take this pic at the start of my main training route next to the 101 fwy. I'm proud of the hard work I'm putting into training, but I'm even prouder of stoking an idea that asks people to honor someone they love, a cause they support or a positive idea they wish to share. Twitter folks, just tweet : Hash tag #run3rd for [you name it]"

Sean to attend Louisville Fandomfest/Fright Night

2012-02-06T19:44:00.004-05:00

Sean will be attending the Fright Night Horror Weekend and Film Festival/FandomFest in Louisville, KY, June 29-July 1.

Looks like Sean's former "Jeremiah" costar Luke Perry will also be there, along with "The Lord of the Rings" bad guy, Wormtongue, Brad Dourif!

More info and ticket sales

Sean to appear on NCIS with Jamie Lee Curtis!

2012-02-06T18:25:00.001-05:00

Sean will be guest starring in an upcoming episode of "NCIS" along with Jaime Lee Curtis. The show is expected to air in late March. Sean and Jamie with both play psychological operations investigators.

“I’ve been a big fan of Sean’s for years and this is a part we literally tailored for him,” says executive producer Gary Glasberg. “We couldn’t be happier to have Sean join us. Jamie’s character, Doctor Ryan, oversees a team of brilliant PsyOps agents and Sean will prove to be her go-to operative. We can’t wait to throw him into the mix, watch it develop, and have some fun.”

Source

In the meantime, don't forget that Sean's little brother Mackenzie will be on the special 200th episode of "NCIS" tomorrow, February 7 on CBS!

Sean Astin to be interviewed by TORn

2012-02-05T20:55:00.000-05:00

Sean will be doing an interview with Cliff "Quickbeam" Broadway on TheOneRing.net's live chat this Tuesday, February 7 at 5pm PT. Sean will discuss his current projects including his Run3rd efforts.

Tune in here to to TORn Tuesdays with Quickbeam.

Middle-earth News covers Sean's running

2012-02-05T16:31:00.000-05:00

Middle-earth News has a story about Sean's Run3rd project. Check it out!

Sean's sunset run

2012-02-05T13:40:00.000-05:00

Photo by Christine Astin taken near Hwy 101.
Open in new window for high-res version

"Dorothy and the Witches of Oz" theatrical trailer Updated!

2012-02-05T11:00:00.000-05:00

Watch in high definition on Apple's trailer site.

Sean as Frack in screen cap from high def trailer

Dorothy and the Witches of Oz trailer

Updated Feb 8, 2012

Dorothy and the Witches of Oz theatrical release

2012-02-04T18:49:00.000-05:00

The theatrical version of "Dorothy and the Witches of Oz" (renamed from "The Witches of Oz") will have a limited release beginning this month. While the total running time is about an hour less than the 2-part miniseries that is being released on DVD/Blu-ray in April, this version includes 15 minutes of new footage and upgraded special effects.

Set in modern day New York City, the movie is a sequel to L. Frank Baum's stories (not to the 1939 movie) in which Dorothy, played by Paulie Rojas, struggles to remember her long ago past. It features Christopher Lloyd as the Wizard of Oz, Billy Boyd as Dorothy's love interest, and Sean Astin is a small but funny role as the tiny sprite, Frack.

Confirmed theaters and dates include:

February 17:

Harkins Arrowhead Fountains - Peoria, Arizona
Harkins Chandler Fashion - Chandler, Arizona
Harkins Superstition Springs - Mesa, Arizona
Harkins North Valley - Phoenix, Arizona

February 24:
AMC Town Center 20 - Leawood, Kansas
AMC Studio 30 - Olathe, Kansas
Rave Stonybrook 20 - Louisville, Kentucky

(Source)

This list will be updated as new information becomes available. Check your local listings for details.

That's Sean in the yellow shirt sitting on the Z!

Sean Astin launches new #Run3rd web site!

2012-02-04T11:42:00.000-05:00

Last evening, following the posting of a Q&A session with fans, Sean launched a new web site run3rd.com, dedicating races and running to friends, family, causes and ideas. There's a tab to it above, so it's always in easy reach!

Sean's dayglo running shoes

Sean's Friday night Q&A

2012-02-04T10:50:00.001-05:00

Here is the full text of the Q&A Sean posted Friday, February 3.

~~~

Q&A

Ok, here’s the deal... Y’all are my LOYALS. Thank you for that!!! It looks like #askyourquestionsnow has about 150 mostly fantastic questions (kidding they’re all great-sort of). I’m going to scroll through and answer a bunch of them.

If your question doesn’t get answered or you have new ones, by all means keep ‘em coming. We’ll do more again later. I’m planning a solid real time Q&A in a little while.

Here we go...

ChristinaBWho

Q: Hot hot ARE the fires of Mordor?

A: Hot enough to melt the enamel off a quilty man’s soul. K, it wasn’t the heat that freaked us out, Mt. Ruapehu (spelling?) is active and shook frequently.

Cara_chapel

Q: Do you like sushi?

A: Yes, I love it!!! Don’t know the names, I just point.

RoseColdham

Q: Were the ‘Brace of Coney’s’ in TTT real?

A: We used gross rubbery ones and their were real skins around as well...yuck...

Martuski1979

Q: Will you visit Barcelona, Spain soon?

A: I would love to come back. The Gaudi and Picasso Museums blew us away! No plans yet though.

LupeSteele

Q: White Water Summer.-Did you do all your own stunts?

A: Of course, I always do all of my own stunts...NOT, I did get to do lots of rock climbing and white water stuff... and dangling from bridges...My stunt double was a girl with ripped arms...made me look good :-)

Q: Safe Passage-Why were u so hesitant to give the puppies the shots?

A: Hello, they were PUPPIES...I wanted to give them treats...nothing like being hated by puppies...

Critter_Gal

Q: Do you have any critters of your own?

A: We had to give the Oliphant back, it’s poop was too much to handle.

Meimihartman

Q: Would you recommend carbo loading on Lembas bread the night before the marathon?

A: Hmm, I think you’d carbo load on lembas bread a week or more before the marathon. Of course it tastes like baking soda in film land, yuck!

AstinCentral

Q: Can I Please NOT go to school today?

A: You are an Astin, REPRESENT...get to school!!!

Q: What were the best years of your life?

A: 1971, 1985, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2012...probably others :-) ask again in 20yrs.

KirstenPrice

Q: Any Regrets?

A: Yes.

Elleniette

Q: Have you ever been to Sicily?

A: I’ve been all over Italy...the closest to Sicily is sailing between, enjoying Toarmina (spelling?) Beautiful...

Seanastinfan

*Note, this is not me in disguise :-)

Q: If offered a major movie w/great director but asked to gain 30lbs, would you do it again?

A: You said you’d ask a tough question...mean!!!! I might. I know how to lose it easier now...it’d have to be really great. I’ve always said that the magic comes when the right part comes along for the right actor at just the right time...by that standard...I could get big again... Who knows, it might just happen anyway...course I have something to say about that...I #run3rd for fitness and body image health as well

Beckya

Q: If you could guest star in any current tv show, what would it be?

A:TEASER: I just signed on today to guest on a great show... Not sure if I’m allowed to say what it is yet. Just wait 30 seconds, seanastinfan will figure it out :-)

RunnerJana

Q: What’s your expected finish time for the LA Marathon?

A: Well, with all of the movies and tv shows I’ve done, besides my family who I mostly keep separate from my twitter life, talking about running (shocking) is my favorite thing to do.

I would love more than anything to finish sub-4. I did the Tink 1⁄2 in 1:59:08... I don’t think it’s likely... I’m getting faster and stronger day by day, but I think the sand is going to run out of the hour glass by race day, before I’m there... I think an ambitious guess is 4:13...I’ll make a formal goal and prediction in the days and hours leading up to the race. Thanks for asking.

Leahmari11

I really appreciate the energy you’ve been kicking out.

Q: What song on your running playlist would surprise people?

A: I asked folks over a week ago for suggestions. It’s been a fun and cumbersome process to go through and listen to all of them and buy a bunch. I actually had about 75% of the suggestions in my rotation.

Today, was the first time I ran with my new hardware...tease...(when we get to 16k followers, I post a picture and review). Anyhow, I ran with a different piece of music equipment as well. I ran a 10k in 55:38...for the run I put 1h worth of songs that came strictly from my twitter friends:

15 songs: Medicate, Rudie Can’t Fail, This is Why We Fight, When I’m Up I can’t get down, Run to the hills, Running on Empty, What Do you Want, Pain, Is it any Wonder, You get what you give, Running up that hill, walk this way (already had this one), Gratisfaction, Come Sail Away (don’t mock I had this one too), Runnin’ with the Devil...

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, they rocked...

Astinland

Another rockstar in AstinNation (first time I’ve used that phrase so comfortably) Thanks for all you do!!!

Q: Can you name any well known roles you’ve turned down?

A: Nope. I’ve never Turned down a part that went on to score big...lost out to tons like River Pheonix in Stand By Me...He is the ONLY person who could have played that part. Good actor lesson to learn.

Q: Anything about you that would surprise others?

A: I get really grumpy, more often than is good. I had that pretty well on twitter.

GrammaHobbit

Q: Do you “run” in your sleep?

A: Yep, like our dog ‘flip’ I can be observed twitching and biting mail carriers

OK, there are at least a half dozen other regular Sean Astin tweeter peeps that have asked questions I want to answer, but I’m out of time. I’m going to try and figure out how to link this to...wait for it... run3rd.com That’s right, I went to Go Daddy.com and registered it, BAM!!!

Thank you all...my LOYALS See you back on Twitter!!!!!

Astin family at Johns Hopkins reception for John Astin

2012-02-03T14:40:00.002-05:00

Ed Asner, Sean Astin, Valerie Ann Sandobal, Ronald Daniels, John Astin, Jennifer Astin, Mackenzie Astin, Katherine Newman
Photo courtesy Will Kirk, Johns Hopkins Homewood Photography
(Open image in new window for high resolution.)

Sean and "Adopting Terror" costars

2012-01-31T21:40:00.000-05:00

Here are a few more pics of Sean and his costars for "Adopting Terror."

Sean and Shiloh Nelson, who plays the adopted child Mona. Photo by big sister Mary Jon Nelson

Joe Bohn, who plays a cop with Sean. Photo courtesy Joe.

Kristen Quintrall and Sean, photo by Kristen.

Fans of the popular 80s sitcom "Family Ties" will remember Michael Gross as dad Steven Keaton. Michael appears in the film as a staff member of the adoption agency.

Michael Gross and Joe, photo courtesy Joe

Trivia: Michael was in the comedy "Stay Cool" with Sean. :-)

#Run3rd Video

2012-01-30T22:02:00.002-05:00

This video was created by myself and @Astinland to promote Sean's #run3rd project. Please take a few minutes to watch and read about the project, and then follow Sean on Twitter. Thank you.

If he gets to 17,000 followers by Friday, Feb 3, he'll do a 30 minute Q&A on all topics, 7PM PT!

Tinker Bell Half Marathon photos

2012-01-30T17:59:00.000-05:00

Except as noted, all photos are from Run Disney's Facebook page, taken by Larry Rhodes.

Sean is interviewed before the race.

Coming up on the finish line!

Quick time check… Yes! Sub-2 hours!

Post race celebration

Post race interview

Sean shows off his bling on Twitter.

Video interview following Tinker Bell Half

2012-01-29T15:51:00.001-05:00

Sean is interviewed by the Orange County Register following the Tinker Bell Half Marathon.

He mentions this blog and his running interview starting at about 4:08. :-D You can read his running mission statement here.

Sean's Tinker Bell Half shirt, bib and medal!

2012-01-29T13:44:00.002-05:00

It's Oso special! ;-)

Posted by Sean on Twitter

Sean runs Tinker Bell Half Marathon in under 2 hours!

2012-01-29T11:59:00.002-05:00

Sean finished the 13.1 mile (~21K) Tinker Bell Half Marathon in Anaheim CA with an unofficial chip time of 1:59:08 for a 9:27 pace.

His splits were 29:41/59:49/1:28:10 for 5K/10K/15K.

Well done, Sean! We're proud of you!

Sean wearing medal in post-race tent. Photo by @datachick

Casting Call for "Fear Unleashed"

2012-01-29T10:22:00.002-05:00

A casting call has been posted for "Fear Unleashed" a psychological thriller starring Sean Astin and James Cromwell.

Sean Astin and James Cromwell.

According to the call, the movie is due to film in Boston MA and Louisiana beginning May 2012.

"The film is about Mark suffering turmoil when he loses his job and gets involved in a deadly accident."

Source

Witches of Oz on DVD and Blu-ray April 3

2012-01-26T17:40:00.001-05:00

The Witches of Oz, with Sean Astin as the sprite Frack, Billy Boyd as Nick Chopper and Christopher Lloyd as the Wizard of Oz, will be released on region 1 Blu-ray and DVD on April 3.

Interestingly, the Blu-ray is less expensive from Amazon ($21 vs $25 for DVD).

Note this is apparently the miniseries version, not the theatrical cut, still rumored to get a limited release.

Sean to run in Tinker Bell Half Marathon (Updated with finishers' medal)

2012-01-26T15:38:00.006-05:00

Sean will be running in the Tinker Bell Half Marathon this Sunday, January 29 beginning at 5:45am. The 13.1 mile race starts and finishes at Disneyland Resort with a course through the City of Anaheim.

Sean will get this medal for finishing the half marathon.

"While the Tinker Bell Half Marathon celebrates women, it is open to everyone (ages 14 and over) and we encourage men to participate. Hundreds of men run our Disney's Princess Half Marathon each year and we anticipate the same will be the case for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon."

Adopting Terror: more behind the scenes photos

2012-01-26T14:57:00.000-05:00

Except as noted, all photos were tweeted by Sean Astin.

Tweeting between takes!

Getting his hair trimmed on set.

In Museum jacket, posted by @museumoriginal

Possible spoiler here:

Does someone jump from the window, or are they pushed? :-O

The Fellowship of the Legos!

2012-01-24T15:12:00.000-05:00

Preview of the upcoming Lord of the Rings LEGO characters! They will be released this summer.

Fellowship of the Legos!

Samwise the Brave!

Source

The Voice of Sean Astin

2012-01-23T13:32:00.002-05:00

Sean is a well-known figure on both the big and little screens, with several score roles to his credit besides his iconic Samwise, Rudy and Mikey. His voice is also well-known: among other projects, he was the beloved narrator of the first three seasons of Animal Planet’s “Meerkat Manor.” Parents of toddlers and pre-schoolers may recognize his voice (in a slightly higher register!) as the stuffed secret agent panda bear in Disney’s “Special Agent Oso.” He’ll also be heard later this year in the animated feature film “Ribbit” and a new “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” series on Nickelodeon.

Lesser known is that Sean has also done old-fashioned radio dramas—yes the kind you listen to on your radio! He has now done four episodes of the Twilight Zone™ Radio Dramas, based on the famous Rod Serling TV series from the 1960s. TZRD, begun in 2002, currently airs on almost 200 radio stations around the country as well as the XM and Sirius satellite networks. It's hosted by the solemn voice of actor Stacy Keach and features the voice talents of Jason Alexander, John Ratzenberger, Jane Seymour, Ed Begley, Jr., and many more.

Series producer and CEO of Falcon Picture Group, Carl Amari talked with us via telephone about Sean’s involvement with TZRD. According to Carl, Sean's first project with him was as narrator for “The Word of Promise: The Next Generation,” an audio dramatization of the New Testament aimed at young people.

Photo courtesy Carl Amari

“I’ve been a fan of his since The Goonies,” said Carl. “And then Rudy, of course, one of the best movies of all time in my opinion. He’d be great [for Word of Promise] I thought. I’d read that he was vocal about his faith, too, not hiding it like some Hollywood stars, so I reached out to him.” [Sean narrates, with young actors and actresses in most of the roles.]

“It’s pretty hard to find anyone more accommodating or nicer than Sean. When I asked him about doing some Twilight Zone, he said ‘Cool!’ Sean’s father John Astin has done radio drama, so he was familiar with the format.”

Sean ended up doing four episodes over the last few years:

Who Am I? A young business man wakes up one morning and has a completely different face—but only he thinks it's different from before.
The Amazing Dr. Kyle Powers. A cold, unsympathetic physician is given an opportunity to change his ways when an extraordinary visitor gives him the ability to experience his patients' symptoms. But will the good doctor change for the better?
Beewinjapeedee. A documentary filmmaker travels to the Everglades in search of his brother's killer and encounters a legendary Indian Princess and shape-shifter with a ravenous appetite.
Snow Angel. At Christmas time, a pregnant teenage runaway finds herself in the care of an elderly Grandma-type who is an independent, practical, tough-minded recluse living in a remote part of South Dakota.

Each of these approximately 40-minute long episodes can be downloaded from the TZRD site for only $1.95. He’s also worked on two other audio Bible projects with Carl: “The Word of Promise: Old Testament” voicing Elihu, and the “Truth & Life” audio Bible as Matthew.

Do you foresee any future TZRD with Sean?

“Oh yes! I’m going to definitely reach out to him to do some more. And I’m also doing another series. It’s more of a horror series called “Fangoria Dreadtime Stories, in association with Fangoria.com. Malcolm McDowell is the host of that. I’d like Sean to do some of those, so I’ll be knocking on his door!”

What’s Sean like to work with?

“He’s one of those guys that no matter what you give him, he can do it. He’s just a great actor. He’s wonderful to work with. Super easy, very fun, he enjoys what he does, super prepared when he comes. He’s got it down which saves a lot of time when we’re in the studio.

“I just love the guy,” Carl concludes. “He’s one of the good guys!”

Sean's running mission statement

2012-01-22T14:28:00.007-05:00

Sean has posted a mission statement about his run in the 2012 LA Marathon on March 18:

Read more about Sean's passion for running in this interview.

Be sure to also check the moving #run3rd responses.

NOTE: Sean's Twitter name is now @SeanAstin

Sean Astin among "Hollywood's Gridiron Greats"

2012-01-19T07:18:00.002-05:00

Sean will be featured as one of the actors who portrayed football players and football players who became actors in Reelz Channel's "Hollywood Gridiron Greats," premiering Saturday, January 28 at 7:30pm ET (4:30pm PT). The show will re-air several times over the next few days.

"Hosted by former NFL star Tiki Barber, the program will highlight stars that have gone from the field to the big screen, including NFL legends Lawrence Taylor, Howie Long, Brett Favre and more. Plus, we’ll put the spotlight on actors who boosted their careers by tackling roles as football players—from Cuba Gooding, Jr. in Jerry Maguire and Sean Astin in Rudy to Mark Wahlberg in Invincible and Burt Reynolds in The Longest Yard."

More information, showtimes and how to find Reelz Channel in your area.

First on-set pic from "Adopting Terror"

2012-01-15T16:22:00.002-05:00

Busy day on set. ;-)

Samaire Armstrong, Monet Mazur and Sean Astin

Photo courtesy of Monet Mazur.

"Watchbird" to air on Science Channel

2012-01-14T10:11:00.000-05:00

"Stephen Hawking's Sci Fi Masters," a six-part anthology series written by some of the most well-known authors of science fiction, will air on the Science Channel Sundays at 10pm ET/PT beginning February 5.

The series was originally produced by ABC in 2007 as "Masters of Science Fiction," but only four of the episodes aired in the US. Missing from the schedule then was "Watchbird," a cautionary tale about intelligent military drones used for domestic crime control starring Sean Astin and James Cromwell.

Sean Astin as Charlie Kramer

The original Watchbird short story by Robert Sheckley is available free in ebook formats.

Press release / Official series web site

More info on "Adopting Terror"

2012-01-11T22:07:00.002-05:00

Here's more information about the movie Sean Astin and Kristen Quintrall are filming:

"Tim and Cheryl Broadbent are excited to finally adopt Mona, a beautiful baby girl. But when the baby's biological father starts stalking them, Tim and Cheryl's life becomes a nightmare."

From this casting call, looks like Mona is a toddler:

Interestingly, the production company Asylum has another project called "Age of Hobbits":

"In a fantasy world of men and monsters, a battle rages between the forces of good and evil."

:-D

Sources here, here and here.

"And They're Off" DVD release

2012-01-10T20:08:00.001-05:00

"And They're Off," the horse racing mockumentary starring Sean as trainer Dusty Sanders, will be released on DVD, iTunes, VOD and Netflix worldwide on May 1, 2012.

Dusty and Dee are excited about release!

New Movie: Adopting Terror!

2012-01-09T20:19:00.001-05:00

Sean will be starring in a new Lifetime thriller called "Adopting Terror" with Kristen Quintrall according to a blog entry by Kristen herself. The movie starts filming tomorrow, January 10.

Sean Astin's passion for running

2012-01-06T08:08:00.003-05:00

Readers of this blog will have noticed Sean's recent interest in running; over the last couple of months, he's run in the Calabasas Classic 10k, the Goodloe Byron 15k and the Santa to the Sea half marathon. But even his most devoted fans may not be aware how long and deeply held his passion is.

Sean graciously agreed to answer a few questions about running for us. What follows is minimally edited, mostly punctuation changes, for clarity.

~~~

What prompted you to train for this year’s LA Marathon and what motivates you to keep running?

I love talking about running. I don’t think I’ve given any ‘running centric’ interviews before. So, to your questions. My answers are not linear; in fact, what follows is a spelling error laden [actually not] stream of consciousness. Good luck sorting through it!

I think I’ll share a little story that sets the context for my running life. When I was a kid, my best friend Chris’s stepdad invited me to join him on a 10k race. I didn’t have any experience with running; I probably hadn’t run more than a mile straight before then. I’m thinking I was 14 or something. The race was incredible, finishing up at the LA Colosseum, people cheering, a medal, orange slices and water being handed out. I felt just an awesome sense of accomplishment and community. I was hooked. I think my time was 48ish minutes. My best 10k came years later in Brentwood at 42:23. I’ve run tons since. I went on to run cross country in high school. I’ve run other eco challenges, a mini triathlon, etc.

I had a trainer in 1998 (that’s the year I ran my first LA Marathon) named Kurt Broadhag. We trained for a few months and ran in that race together. Our goal was sub four hours; we finished 4:04. It took me a bunch of years to get back to it. I love that they changed the route in LA to the so-called Stadium to the Sea course. I trained for that one for three months on my own a few years ago [2010]. I was shooting for 4:30 but with my calf thing [Sean tore a calf muscle a few days before the race], I was grateful just to finish at 5:16.

I’m really eager to get back to the marathon again this year. I’m hoping to manage injuries, etc., and redeem myself to myself.

One of the factors that lead me to train was my schedule. I think I have considered it every year since the first one, but somehow, depending on the kind of shape I’m in (I get extremely out of shape, unfortunately) my schedule seems more or less daunting. This year, it just seemed doable in that sense. But, I think what you want to know is why this year. Was it spontaneous or inspired by something? And what I can say is that once you are a runner, you are always a runner, and running has existed in my mind as a constant. When my shoes hit the road for the first time after a long absence, it feels like a sunrise, slow but steady, cold at first and then warm.

The Marathon is an organizing principle that not only helps my mind, it conveys in a word to everyone who hears it a sense of sacrifice, ambition, dedication and seriousness of purpose.

I love my city and the LA Marathon here meanders through many of the places I have lived or spent time in over 40 years. So I have a sense of city pride as well. The expectation that comes from getting others to invest in my little journey provides just enough pressure in the hard moments to push on.

Also, my sense of ‘fun’ has changed. The spiritual connection that you feel with nature and yourself and the road are what most long distance runners embrace. So now at 40 I’ve really come to the understanding that pain is gain and the more you learn to have ‘fun’ with the pain that comes along with healthy training, the more gratifying the experience is.

I use the Nike+ sensor. I have every run since June 2007 logged. I love keeping track of my stats, and both watching the patterns of my runs and spending too many hours strategizing my upcoming training schedules. I think I’ve run 1,881 miles since then :-)

What is it that attracts you to running compared to other sports/activities?

I love so many sports: baseball, golf, basketball, football, boxing, cycling, swimming, hiking and on and on. When I think of my early childhood, I think of baseball as the controlling sport of my youth. But, no matter what else I do, the fundamental, the core, the essential activity of my life, is running. It is personal, success is relative, the endorphin cocktail is addicting. I could go on. I also think it is the fastest way for me to get in shape, to shed weight, etc. One great thing about golf is that you get to see amazing natural beauty wherever you go around the world. This is true of running in a totally different and maybe more satisfying way. If you are working in a college town, an industrial center, etc., if you lace up your shoes and head out the door… It’s like Bilbo—you never know what adventures await you.

When you are running, it almost always feels like the Olympic positive energy I experienced in 1984. And not just on race day. When drivers pause to let you cross, your eyes meet and you can see that they respect how vulnerable and yet how strong you are. People wave, head tilt and basically respect what you are doing. And they haven’t paid for a ticket. You cross paths with people in the middle of their own routines; that split second affinity makes me feel larger than life and ‘connected’ to the social world around me. Internally, listening to my breathing, evaluating my gait, managing all of the stuff, water intake, replenishing electrolytes, finding the balance between focusing on each step and going into a meditative state geared toward the full distance—all of these things make it fun and rewarding.

What is your greatest challenge in training?

Hmm, the greatest challenge in training… I’d say eating properly. Food, sleep and running are the big factors. My sleep goes from too much to too little and then some cycles of just right. Obviously I put great attention and care into how many runs, how often (usually 4-5 a week with the traditional one long slow distance). I always struggle to set the pace properly. But the eating is a pain. I wish I could offer guidance, but I can’t. The most important thing is vegetables. Say what one will about carb loading and protein, etc. Itʼs really all about vegetables.

May be boring, but once I’ve set my intention to run the thing, I don’t usually face any crisis of confidence. I’m just about the business of doing it. I think I get on everyone’s nerves around me because I like to share my excitement, confusion, etc., about each training run with everyone, and the family is enthusiastic and supportive. It just gets to be too much. Oh, one other thing: work and travel often whammy the plan, so it takes an absurd commitment not to get knocked back to a place where recovering and getting back on schedule becomes too challenging.

What is the best part of race day?

All of it. I soak it up from dinner the night before to driving home from dinner after the race, all of the sights and sounds and feelings. I spend time training on the same streets by myself and it’s about buses and cars and honking. Then on race day as far as you can see in every direction are people. I visualize the empty streets and then soak up the joy of the collective experience. Parents bring their kids to a corner to watch. You can see kids in various stages of trepidation to excitement encouraging runners. I like seeing the tentative families and you reach your hand out for a high five as you go by. A little social contract has happened, an exchange that would be awkward in other settings has become an expectation of support and solidarity. I love that. I love the landmarks and the volunteers. I love the mileage markers and my own race management, the music and cultural stuff (in LA such diversity), seeing my family at certain points on the road, the finish line, the little medal you get, the pictures taken of the runners… I could go on for hours. It’s a great experience, rain or shine.

Are you competing against the other runners or is it an internal competition?

I’m pushing myself for myself during the marathon. You do see certain people that are pacing close and little challenges develop, e.g., “I’m not letting that lady get too far ahead of me again.” But I’m trying to focus on my own pace and my own race.

How will the 2012 LA Marathon be different from 1998 and 2010?

Weight in 1998: 164 lbs, in 2010: 188 lbs, now: 180 lbs. I still would love to break four hours. I can’t tell where I’m at. I need nine minute miles to do it. I’m clocking a lot of nine minute miles so it’s possible. But it’s not likely I can keep them up for 26 miles. Iʼm thinking more about 4:30.

I actually think being older means that I’ll (injuries aside) have less nervousness. Everyone gets race day jitters, but lately I just get out there and go. There’s a lot of other life stuff that’s different: different place in my career, our kids are different ages, etc., but one thing is true and that is that I’ve been smart enough to enjoy the races and savor the nuances, and I will continue to do that.

What’s on your iPod when you run?

My running playlists are varied. Over the holidays, I would listen to classic Christmas Sinatra or whoever alternated with 50 Cent or Eminem. Bizarre juxtaposition, but it worked! I have listened to Jimmy Buffett and other artists whose music is a little more mellow than you’d expect.

Getting the playlist right is time consuming. I do find myself using the same playlist. My body starts to shape itself to the songs: when Maroon 5 is on, it means I’m at mile five and I’m making that left turn onto ‘x’ street.

What are your running plans after the LA Marathon?

I hope I can do the Hollywood Half. I’ll be there for sure. We’ll see what kind of recovery has happened. They are pretty close together. [LA Marathon is March 18, Hollywood Half is April 7.]

The 50th anniversary JFK 50 miler is back east in November [Western Maryland, November 19]. I said I would run it, so it’s in my mind as I run. We’ll see come April what kind of training schedule the next 6+ months would entail. It would be a heck of an accomplishment. I’m sure I would have to do at least one and maybe two other marathons before hand. No idea what will come of all that, so for now, it’s focus on LA in March! :-)

So, I’ve rambled on and on. I would just add, and I’ve alluded to it, marathons have a big impact on those around you, so I’m blessed to have the support I have.

~~~

My deepest thanks to Sean for taking the time to answer my questions.

Sean's shoes, posted on Twitter

More photos from John Astin reception at Johns Hopkins University

2012-01-04T13:42:00.001-05:00

Here are some additional photos of Sean and some of the guests at the reception in honor of his father John Astin last month at Johns Hopkins University. The theatre of the newly renovated Merrick Barn was renamed the "John Astin Theatre" in honor of John's ten years of service in developing and leading the Theatre Arts and Studies program.

All photos by Will Kirk/Johns Hopkins Homewood Photography homewoodphoto.jhu.edu. Thank you Will for your assistance!

Exclusive! First images from "Ribbit"

2011-12-31T08:42:00.003-05:00

A few months ago, I exclusively reported that Sean had done voiceover work for an animated film called "Ribbit." Sean portrays the title role of a frog in the Amazon rainforest who suffers from an identity crisis. The voice talents of Tim Curry as Terence and Russell Peters as Deepak are also featured.

I can now reveal the first images from the movie, thanks to Chuck Powers, director and writer of the film!

Sean as Ribbit and Russell Peters as vampire bat Deepak.
Yes, this is a vampire movie! ;-)

"Sean gives a performance of amazing range! Subtle, funny, vulnerable… A perfect leading frog!"
—Director and Writer, Chuck Powers

Many thanks to Chuck for the images!

Want Sean Astin to follow you on Twitter?

2011-12-30T17:57:00.001-05:00

Sean is trying to encourage people to follow @waterkeeper, a nonprofit organization which aspires to protect every major watershed and provide fishable, swimmable and drinkable waterways worldwide.

He has promised to follow anyone who follows @waterkeeper between now and midnight New Year's Eve (time zone not specified) and lets him know. His tweet:

Read more about Waterkeeper Alliance.

NOTE: Sean's new Twitter name is @SeanAstin.

Witches of Oz to see US theatrical release

2011-12-29T08:12:00.000-05:00

According to Dread Central, the newly renamed "Dorothy and the Witches of Oz" will have a limited theatrical release in the US this February.

The movie, which originally aired as a two-part miniseries in much of Europe, has been edited to theatrical length and had its special effects upgraded for the US market. Set in modern day New York City, Witches is a sequel to L. Frank Baum's stories (not to the 1939 movie), in which Dorothy, played by Paulie Rojas, struggles to remember her long ago past. It features Christopher Lloyd as the Wizard of Oz, Billy Boyd as Dorothy's love interest, and Sean Astin is a small but funny role as the tiny sprite, Frack.

Sean Astin as the sprite Frack

A new trailer is expected to be released shortly.

Sean plans marathon and half marathon

2011-12-28T16:58:00.008-05:00

Sean already has running plans beyond the 2012 LA Marathon on March 18. He has signed up for the inaugural Hollywood Half Marathon on April 7. This 13.1 mile race will begin and end at Universal Studios and will pass such iconic locations as the Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood & Highland, Grauman's Chinese Theater and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Participants are encouraged to dress as their favorite celebrity. Wonder who Sean will go as… :-)

Sean will get this medal for finishing the course.

Press release here.

We expect to have an exclusive report on Sean and running in the next couple of weeks!

Sean Astin volunteers at Operation Gratitude

2011-12-17T17:02:00.004-05:00

Sean worked with other volunteers at Operation Gratitude in Van Nuys, CA, today, helping to assemble care packages for troops serving in hostile areas, their children left behind, and wounded warriors recuperating in transition units. Today, the non-profit organization expected to ship their 750,000th package since their formation in 2003.

With Ricky Paull Goldin, 750,000th care package recipient Sgt. Eric Rodriguez and friends. Photo tweeted by Sean.

CBS Sunday Morning did a story on Operation Gratitude on December 11. Do watch the video; it shows how one person can indeed make a difference.

Learn more about Operation Gratitude and how you can help on their website and Facebook page. You can also follow them on Twitter.

Anna Pearce, aka Patty Duke, on Twitter

2011-12-15T18:40:00.003-05:00

At the urging of her son, who has become a Twitter addict, Anna Pearce, better known as Patty Duke, has joined Twitter. Sean has vowed to get her 1,000 followers by Christmas. Follow her here!

Official Santa to the Sea race photos

2011-12-15T05:08:00.001-05:00

The official race photos for the Santa to the Sea half marathon held Sunday, December 11, are posted here. Sean's bib number is 0252.

Sean wins Best Actor award at NYII Film & Video Festival

2011-12-14T21:05:00.000-05:00

Sean won a Best Actor award for his performance as the Father in Clay Beabout's "Deep Blue Breath" at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival last month. The film itself also won Best Short Film.

Deep Blue Breath has been shown at over 20 film festivals around the country, and has also won a Best Young Actor award for Clay at the Action on Film Festival, Best Short Film at the Independent's Film Festival, and Best Creative Media Film at the Poppy Jasper Film Festival.

In 2009, both Sean Astin and Elijah Wood worked with the Make a Film Foundation to help then 11-year old Clay with his film. MAFF teams film industry professionals with children who have been diagnosed with critical or life-threatening medical conditions in order to help them create short film legacies. More info on Sean's and Elijah's roles, and on how to get the movie and help MAFF are here.

You can like MAFF on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Sean Astin and Clay Beabout

Santa to the Sea & Byron Goodloe race photos

2011-12-14T07:03:00.004-05:00

These photos of Sean at the finish line of the Santa to the Sea half marathon December 11 are courtesy of Gouki Cookie. Official race photos should be available tomorrow.

Sean applauds the finisher just ahead of him.

Crossing the finish line at 2:03:17

Sean posted these photos from the Byron Goodloe 15K on December 3 at his twitter account.

Sean and his racing buddy for the day

To Sean's left is Kim Byron, multi-time runner in the JFK 50 miler.
Sean has expressed interest in running the JFK 50 miler next November!

Official Santa to the Sea race results

2011-12-12T09:17:00.001-05:00

Sean's official chip time was 2:03:17, for a 529th place finish among 1,140 runners who finished the half marathon. Source

Sean with fans before the race. Source

After the race with fans. Source

Interview with Sean following half marathon

2011-12-11T22:11:00.002-05:00

Sean did a brief interview with KADY TV following the Santa to the Sea half marathon in Oxnard today. Sean's interview is at the beginning.

Following the race, Sean tweeted a pic of his swag:

Sean runs Santa to the Sea half marathon

2011-12-11T15:23:00.002-05:00

Sean Astin ran the Santa to the Sea half marathon in an unofficial time of 2:03:24. Congratulations to him!

Thanks to Hildigard Brown for creating the card for me!

Sizzle promo for "Napa"

2011-12-07T22:31:00.000-05:00

Filming of Napa starts in January, starring Rose McGowan, Sean Astin, Jonathan Schaech, Taryn Manning and Kevin Pollack.

Sean to run half marathon

2011-12-07T21:07:00.001-05:00

After running a 10K race on November 13 and a 15K race on December 3, Sean is scheduled to run in the Santa to the Sea half marathon in Oxnard, CA on Sunday, December 11 at 8am PT.

A half marathon is 13.1 miles or about 21K. Sean is training for the LA Marathon March 18, 2012.

Sean films comedy short today!

2011-12-07T17:46:00.004-05:00

Sean filmed a comedy short today in which he plays a plastic surgeon. From the description on costar Shelly Martinez's blog, sounds like he may not always be successful! :-O

Shelly will talk about her experience tomorrow (Thursday, December 8) on Fun Time Radio w the Martinez Girlz at 5 PM ET, 2 PM PT.

Make sure you check out the photos on Shelly's blog!

Full Empire hobbit interview online!

2011-12-06T16:20:00.001-05:00

And it includes some new photos by Sarah Dunn of our favorite foursome!

Full interview here

Sean to attend Night of 100 Stars!

2011-12-06T13:30:00.002-05:00

Sean is scheduled to be one of almost 200 guests at the conservatively named "Night of 100 Stars," an Oscar night black tie celebrity party held at the Beverly Hills Hotel, February 26, 2012.

Full list of expected attendees

Official race results for Goodloe Byron 15k

2011-12-05T15:36:00.000-05:00

Sean came in 33rd in a field of 59. See full results here.

Official program from John Astin event

2011-12-05T11:11:00.001-05:00

Click on each image for larger versions.

The theatre in Merrick Barn was renamed the John Astin Theatre in Mr. Astin's honor on Saturday.

Thanks to Joy for photographing the program. Someone needs to buy that girl a scanner! ;-)

Ceremony honoring John Astin

2011-12-04T15:24:00.003-05:00

In recognition of ten years developing and leading the Theatre Arts and Studies program at Johns Hopkins University, the theatre of the newly renovated Merrick Barn was renamed the "John Astin Theatre" on Saturday.

The ceremony was emceed by close family friend, Ed Asner, who used the opportunity to make good-humored jokes at the expense of John and his sons, Sean and Mackenzie. JHU President Ronald Daniels and Arts & Sciences Dean Katherine Newman made remarks and presented a plaque to John, and students performed two short humorous skits, followed by a reception.

My daughter Joy and her boyfriend Devin were fortunate to attend the event and provide photos of the dignitaries. :-D

Devin, Sean and Joy

Joy, Mackenzie and Devin

Sean

Joy and honoree John Astin

Joy gets an honor of her own from Ed Asner!

Many thanks to Jennifer Astin for assistance with photos. Further photos should be available later, so stay tuned! :-)

Sean and Mack to attend celebration for dad John Astin

2011-12-03T07:54:00.001-05:00

Sean and Mackenzie Astin will be attending a celebration today honoring their father John Astin's tens years as director of the Undergraduate Program in Theatre Arts & Studies at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.

John Astin

Fellow actor and close friend Ed Asner will emcee the event, which will feature an unveiling of the newly renovated historic Merrick Barn, home for the program and student performances.

Congratulations to John and his sons!

Press release

Sean to run in 15k race Saturday Updated

2011-11-30T15:35:00.002-05:00

Sean posted another photo of his running shoes earlier this week. Via his Twitter account, he announced that he will be running in the Goodloe Byron 15k Mountain Run at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, MD, Saturday, December 3 at 9am.

Sean says these are his favorite running shoes,
but wore a blue-trimmed pair for the Calabasas Classic 10k.

Sean is training for the LA Marathon, March 18, 2012. FYI, a 15k race is about 9.3 miles; a marathon is 26.2 miles.

"The hilly, picturesque course takes runners along dirt roads through the forests of College Mountain. The course winds past mountain streams, ponds and farm fields." Source.

Sean's "hook" for Samwise

2011-11-27T16:51:00.001-05:00

At the Super Megafest in Boston, Sean discussed a "hook," a phrase he was given to help remind him of how Samwise's accent should be done. This is his hook:

Many thanks to Ellen for the videos!

Sarah Dunn video: Hobbits high def version

2011-11-27T09:22:00.002-05:00

Hobbits from sarahdunn.com on Vimeo.

Additional photos from Empire Magazine hobbit shoot!

2011-11-24T21:34:00.002-05:00

Photos of Sean Astin, Elijah Wood, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan by Sarah Dunn.

Sidewalk conversations

Click for larger version

(This is from an earlier photo shoot for comparison.)

Super Megafest Part 2; Twitter; And They're Off news

2011-11-23T07:29:00.001-05:00

• Sean reached his goal of 10,000 Twitter followers Monday evening! Thanks to all my blog, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and LiveJournal friends who helped spread the word!

• "And They're Off" will be released on video on demand, DVD and iTunes by next April. I'll be posting a review of the movie in a little while.

• Here's an interview with Sean from Boston Events Insider at the Super Megafest. Says interviewer Johnny Monsarrat "I was pleased to find him so comfortable with the fans, and humble. If fame comes to any of us, we should keep our act together so well."

Sean discussed his desire to keep creative control over his "Number the Stars" project, involvement with politics, working on "Amazing Love," and other topics.

See full article here

I'll have a full report of Sean's Q&A session from my intrepid reporter on the scene, complete with video, shortly!

Sean Astin signs autographs for fans at Boston Super Megafest. Source

Sean at Super Megafest in Boston Part 1

2011-11-20T13:16:00.001-05:00

These are pics Sean Astin tweeted today from the Super Megafest in Boston.

The back of Sala Baker's and Sean Astin's heads during their Q&A session.

Sam Wars?

Full report coming soon!

Marathon Man!

2011-11-19T10:29:00.001-05:00

Here are a couple proofs of official race photos of Sean in last weekend's Calabasas Classic 10k. You can purchase your own high res images and see more photos at the Supersports Photo website.

Sean has said he is in training for the LA Marathon on March 18, 2012. He ran the 2010 LA Marathon in 5:16:12, not bad for having pulled a calf muscle earlier in the week!

Note: He did not wear the shoes he posted a photo of the morning of the race!

Sean and friends at Rudy screening

2011-11-18T21:45:00.003-05:00

All the luminaries from "Rudy" were there—Sean Astin, Jon Favreau (D-Bob), director David Anspaugh and even the original Daniel E. "Rudy" Ruettiger—for the special screening of the movie at the Aero Theater in Santa Monica Thursday evening.

Photo by Sean Astin posted to his Twitter account.

The following is based on a report from Jan-u-wine, who attended the screening.

The movie played to a nearly packed and appreciative audience, and the special guests were given a standing ovation when they took the stage for the Q&A afterwards. There were many good questions asked and good answers shared, and all in all, it was a general love-fest.

David Anspaugh, Jon Favreau, Sean Astin and Rudy Ruettiger. Source

On the topic of the casting of Rudy, the director said Sean had been recommended to him by the script writer, Angelo Pizzo, who had seen a trailer for "Encino Man." (Sean rolled his eyes when this movie was mentioned—it is apparently not one of his favorites!) A lunch meeting was set up between David and Sean, and the director immediately knew he had his Rudy. The studio execs were not so sure, but eventually gave in, and later admitted Sean was the perfect Rudy. The audience cheered wildly in agreement with this sentiment, and Sean appeared very touched by their reaction.

Sean talked about the scene where he had to cry on reading the news that he'd finally been accepted into Notre Dame. He'd come on set that morning and had been instructed not to talk with anyone, so he'd been alone and isolated for a couple of hours. Even so, when it came time to do the scene, he couldn't muster up the tears. Sean said that until then he'd found it hard as an actor and a man to cry. After three takes, David came up to Sean and asked him "What are you so afraid of?" David's question was just what for Sean the actor and Sean the man needed. Why indeed are we afraid of honest tears? It was enough to trigger the tears, and Sean said he cried for at least two hours.

Sean was asked about the scene where Rudy steps onto the football field for the first time. It's a quiet moment, and Rudy hesitates for a moment before stepping reverently onto the field. Was it the director's idea or Sean's? Sean responded by talking about a similar moment in The Fellowship of the Ring, supposedly one of Peter Jackson's favorites, where Sam hesitates before taking the step that will take the farthest away from home he's ever been, moving him into a hugely different world from the one he's known.

David said Sean did a lot of his own stunts, but managed to avoid injury. (In another interview, Sean did mention a small cut he got over his eye from Vince Vaughn's long fingernails. They had to duplicate the cut with makeup later for continuity!) Sean's stunt double had to have knee surgery. The real Rudy also avoided major injuries, quite amazing considering he really was a little guy among the big Notre Dame players!

Sean said that not a day goes by when he isn't stopped and complimented on Rudy, or hears chants of "Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!" He believes it's the movie he'll be most remembered for when he dies.

There was also a discussion of Jerry Goldsmith's beautiful and evocative score. Sean said he was honored to have been a part of one of Goldsmith's projects.

Sean's oldest daughter Ali (Elanor Gamgee in "The Lord of the Rings"), now 15 and a cheerleader, was in attendance, and Sean said they held hands throughout the movie. :-)

Says Jan-u-wine: It's easy to see the Sean that you hear about often: the passionate, caring man, very intelligent, his ideas spilling out so fast that they even (seemingly) take him by surprise.

After the Q&A session, David said they would continue the discussion at a nearby bar on Wilshire Boulevard, what surely must have been a great experience for those who tagged along!

Sean and fan. Source

___
My gratitude to Jan-u-wine for providing her thoughts on the Q&A. All remarks are to the best of her recollection, and we apologize for any inaccuracies.

I think he's thinking of kumara & Lisa Simpson on Sean

2011-11-14T14:22:00.004-05:00

Sean did an interview with Fred Topel, just published, while Sean was filming "And They're Off" last year.

Sean talks about a practical joke played on Dick Donner (director of "The Goonies"), whether technology affects the ability of kids to have adventures today, "The Lord of the Rings" 10 years on, "Rudy" vs "Rocky," and several other topics.

Of note is this: "The one thing they always have in New Zealand, it’s kind of like a squash. I can’t remember the name of it now. Yeah, put that in there. A signed autographed poster by the cast of Lord of the Rings if anyone can name the vegetable that was the predominant vegetable."

Sean, I think you're thinking of kumara, a New Zealand sweet potato ubiquitous in local cuisine. Please send the poster to me c/o the blog! ;-)

Of Sean's character of Dusty Sanders in "And They're Off" Sean says: "I think Rudy and Doug from 50 First Dates, if you could combine their DNA and just plop them into the horse racing world, you’ve got Dusty."

Sean also discusses his system for playing the ponies, spectacularly unsuccessful especially compared to brother, Mackenzie. Says Sean: "So with two dollars, he turned it into $300. I took $200 and turned it into nothing."

Read the full interview here.

In other news, Sean popped up in last night's episode of "The Simpsons" on Lisa's list of cutest vegetarians:

I don't want to disillusion Lisa, but Sean apparently stepped off the vegetarian wagon some time ago, if the reports of him having roast lamb and a pepperoni pizza while on location in Mexico are true!

Sean will go all in!

2011-11-13T20:08:00.003-05:00

Sean is expected to be one of the participants in the 4th annual All In For CP No-Limit Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament on December 9 at The Venetian Poker Room in Las Vegas.

The event will benefit the One Step Closer Foundation—a non-profit organization seeking to ease the lives of those suffering from cerebral palsy.

Source and more info, including video interview with Sean from last year's event.

Sean Astin and "Dish Dogs" costar Shannon Elizabeth at 3rd Annual All in for CP Tournament in 2010

Sean runs Calabasas Classic 10k!

2011-11-13T14:17:00.003-05:00

Sean Astin ran the Calabasas Classic 10k race in 59:32 today!

Sean's running shoes, tweeted by him this morning!

Finisher's medal

More pics will be posted as they appear!

Poll are closed: results are in!

2011-11-11T15:04:00.002-05:00

The results* have been tallied in the "What should Sean have on his head" poll. An overwhelming majority (72%) prefer nothing but curls, with cowboy hat coming in a surprising but distant second with 16%.**

A baseball cap worn backwards beat out forwards baseball cap 15% to 2%,*** while hair gel drew only 2%.

Mr. Astin, the results are clear!

* The total is > 100% as multiple selections were allowed.
** Sean has recently tripled his cowboy roles by adding Mayor Wayne in the just aired "Love's Christmas Journey" and Cal Calhoun in the upcoming comedy "Out West" to his Martin Jarrett in "Into the West."
*** One could argue, with some validity, that baseball caps, both forward and backward, came in second with a combined total of 17%.

Sean Astin appears with costars: Supermegafest and Rudy screening

2011-11-10T09:37:00.001-05:00

• Sean will be doing a Q&A with "Lord of the Rings" costar Sala Baker at the Boston Super Megafest convention at noon on Sunday, November 20. It's expected he will be signing autographs both Saturday and Sunday.

Source

• He will also be doing a Q&A following a screening of "Rudy" at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, CA,Thursday, November 17 at 7:30pm, with costar Jon Favreau and director David Anspaugh.

Source

Sean to play superhero!!

2011-11-09T13:31:00.003-05:00

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s onetime Goonie Sean Astin playing a poor man’s Superman on "Franklin & Bash."

The Lord of the Rings vet has signed on to guest star in an episode of the TNT legal dramedy as a college security guard who dons a cape and tights by night to fight campus crime under the name Viper.

When he’s accused of killing a so-called culprit, he retains Franklin and Bash to defend him.

Source

Sounds like a hoot!

TV guest spot on "Franklin & Bash"; "Napa" news

2011-11-09T05:12:00.005-05:00

• According to a tweet from @Franklin&Bash, Sean will be a guest star on the TNT comedy-drama lawyer-buddy series "Franklin & Bash." The series, which has aired one season so far, stars Breckin Meyer, Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Malcolm McDowell.

Tweets fellow guest star Meredith Myers: Isn't he just the best? LOVE him. He is exactly the man we dreamed he would be :) and He's an incredible actor but an even better man. Those pics in my school locker were justified :)

Sean Astin and Meredith Myers

The episode should air next summer.

• Variety reports that Rose McGowan and Sean Astin will be joined by Kevin Pollak, Johnathon Schaech and Taryn Manning in the indie romantic thriller, "Napa." The film is starting filming now.

Fan helps Sean in goal to reach 10000 Twitter followers

2011-11-08T07:34:00.001-05:00

A few days ago, Sean posted the following on his Twitter feed:

@SeanAstin says I Love You All...Thanks for playing!!! I'm on to Pizza... Oh, help me get to 10,000 followers...hold up signs if you have to

One fan, Laura from Italy, took him at his word and produced this sign:

You, too, can help Sean reach his goal! Follow @SeanAstin!

More soldier Sean

2011-11-07T09:41:00.001-05:00

Photo by Eduardo Verastegui

Sean Astin with Andrey Pishalnikov & Svyatoslav Odnolitok

Sean Astin on set of "Little Boy"

2011-11-06T10:51:00.002-05:00

Here are some pics of Sean on the set of "Little Boy" as posted by various cast and crew.

Sean Astin and producer Eduardo Verastegui

Nice helmet hair on Sean, and his ever-present iPhone!

Michael Rapaport, Alonso Alvarez Barreda, Sean Astin

Director Alejandro Monteverde shows Sean a take on the monitor.

Actress Jennifer Cardena wants in on the photo action ;-)

Sean on set of "Little Boy"?

2011-11-05T10:45:00.000-04:00

This is Sean's new profile pic for his Twitter account. Looks to me like he's in costume for the WWII movie "Little Boy" that he is currently filming in Baja California, Mexico!

WPIX 11 back scene interview

2011-11-05T09:08:00.002-04:00

Sean Astin talks about his favorite movies, watching movies with his girls and getting into Twitter! Follow him at @SeanAstin_LA!

Sean on working with mom & Number the Stars

2011-11-04T07:54:00.000-04:00

From an interview with Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith:

Sean Astin had so much fun working with his mother, Patty Duke, on the recently wrapped feature, "Amazing Love" that, he says, "I had to force myself not to smile too much during the big dialogue scene we had."

Sean also discussed the progress being made in raising funds to film "Number the Stars," the Newbery award winning book by Lois Lowry.

"For most independent filmmakers, what we have would be a fortune. But based on how we designed the movie, we're not quite there yet. We've spent a lot of money and a lot of time building our movie, and it's going to be worth it."

Read full article here.

Sean in Mexico

2011-11-03T20:20:00.001-04:00

Sean Astin and chef Margarita Prieto at Lorca Restaurante Español in Tijuana. Sean is in Baja California filming the WWII movie, "Little Boy." He had the baked lamb with herbs!

View in Rosarito posted by Sean

More behind the scenes pics from "Out West"

2011-11-01T19:54:00.003-04:00

These photos are courtesy of Vicky Strepp, ranch hand at the Majestic Dude Ranch in Mancos, CO, where "Out West" was filmed. Sean took advantage of the beautiful weather and scenery to do a little trail riding, but not before sharing hugs with some of the ranch hands!

Thanks to script supervisor Kim Lambert for passing these on!

Web series on "Lord of the Rings: War in the North" video game

2011-10-31T07:38:00.002-04:00

This 4-part web series about the new video game features commentary by Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, Tolkien scholar Corey Olsen and Big Bang Theory's Kunal Nayyar, along with game developers and others. "Lord of the Rings: War in the North" is available starting November 1.

Warning: This game is rated M for violence and gore. Part 4 focuses on the gore!

Part 1: Love of Middle-earth

Part 2: The Legend of the Rings

Part 3: The New Fellowship

Part 4: Slay the Orcs

Great review of And They're Off from LA Times!

2011-10-30T11:26:00.001-04:00

Turns out, the movie (filmed locally at Hollywood Park and Pomona's Fairplex Park) is a consistently amusing, sometimes hilarious spoof in the Christopher Guest mold. ...

Astin, terrific here, gets ace support from a crack ensemble of supporting jokesters including Cheri Oteri as Dusty's hair-trigger, jockey girlfriend; Martin Mull as his supportive, cross-dressing dad; and James ("Little JJ") Lewis as Dusty's goofily gung-ho assistant trainer.

Read the full review here.

Sean Astin and James Cromwell in "Fear Unleashed"

2011-10-30T09:47:00.001-04:00

In a bit of appropriate Halloween timing, word is out on a new movie for Sean with his former "Watchbird" co-star, James Cromwell.

"There's nothing to fear but "Fear Unleashed"! Sean Astin and James Cromwell are set to star in the psychological thriller, "Fear Unleashed", shooting in Massachusetts. The film is about a man whose life gets turned upside down after he loses his job and is involved in a horrific accident. The project, which is also filming in Lousiana, is expected to start in May 2012."

Source

Behind the scenes with Cheri Oteri and Sean Astin

2011-10-29T17:55:00.001-04:00

video platform video management video solutions video player

Sean Astin on Good Day LA

2011-10-28T19:58:00.002-04:00

Sean talks with some old friends about "And They're Off" and his stint as campaign manager for Dan Adler earlier this year.

Sean Astin Talks "And They're Off": MyFoxLA.com

More Empire Magazine pics of the 4 hobbits!

2011-10-28T19:32:00.002-04:00

Source

Interviews, articles and pics about And They're Off PLUS more!

2011-10-28T17:45:00.005-04:00

• "Sean Astin Talks 'And They're Off' and 'Goonies' Rumors"

Look up "heart" in the dictionary and you might just see a photo of Sean Astin. Or at least one of the characters he's best known for playing, like Mikey ("The Goonies"), Rudy ("Rudy") or Sam ("The Lord of the Rings" trilogy). So it's no surprise that in his new movie, the horse-racing mockumentary "And They're Off…," the 40-year-old plays a horse trainer with – you guessed it – loads of heart.

Lots of interesting tidbits in this interview, including a petition to get Samwise Gamgee in The Hobbit, the news that he plays Rose McGowan's love interest in "Napa", and that he has yet to film his part for "Little Boy." Sean also refers to the upcoming animated movie "Ribbit" in which he voices a frog!

Read more here.

• Here's an article about Dot-Marie Jones (Coach Beiste on "Glee"), who has a small role in "And They're Off" as Dusty Sanders' (Sean) former prom date.

Dot-Marie plays Sean's 1990 prom date!

• Here are some fun behind-the-scenes photos from the Hollywood Reporter. Click each for larger images. (More photos at site.)

Sean Astin & Cheri Oteri seem confused about which sport they are playing.

Sean pretending to be either horse or jockey, I'm not sure which!

Alexandra Ryan plays a veterinarian.

• "Racing Reality and Comedy Collide on Big Screen with 'And They're Off'"

The horse racing industry is excited about a comedy movie covering their field. Read the article here.

Sean Astin interviewed by ReelGayTV

2011-10-28T09:57:00.002-04:00

Sean Astin discusses his role in "And They're Off", at the Hollywood Film Festival at the Arclight on Saturday October 21, 2011. Sean also talks about "Rudy" and "Valley of the Dolls" in which his mother Patty Duke starred. Listen how they relate to the gay community.

Watch video here.

Sean Astin on NBC's New York Live and other tidbits

2011-10-27T18:41:00.005-04:00

Sean Astin appeared on New York Live yesterday, and sang the theme song to his mother's tv program, "The Patty Duke Show." :-D

View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com.

The entertainment program "Extra" will be covering the opening of "And They're Off" on tomorrow's show. Find your local airtime here. Also, costar Kevin Nealon will appear on the Ellen Degeneres Show tomorrow.

The Louisville Voice-Tribune posted an article about Sean today:

He captured the heart of America as the lovable longshot, “Rudy,” and earned iconic status as the hobbit Samwise Gamgee in “Lord of the Rings,” but Sean Astin is also about to seize the affection of horse racing fans with his film “And They’re Off,” set to release Friday, Oct. 28.

Read more.

Sean Astin on WPIX morning news

2011-10-27T16:08:00.001-04:00

Actor Sean Astin stopped by WPIX Morning News to talk about being in the mockumentary indie comedy "And They're Off" with SNL alum Cheri Oteri.

Watch video here.

Sean Astin on Covino & Rich talks The Goonies sequel

2011-10-26T21:52:00.001-04:00

This is a short clip from Sean's appearance on the Covino & Rich Show on Sirius XM Radio today.