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After founding the Fellowship of the Ring and The Goonies, now Sean Astin is leading a very different team with his new gig
Rudy himself is officially president of SAG-AFTRA, and though you won't be surprised to learn the actors' union would trust Sean Astin in the role, you may be surprised to learn he isn't the first in his family to hold it
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Whether it's discovering the treasure of One-Eyed Willy or going toe-to-toe with Shelob herself, any moderately cultured person has already seen Sean Astin do great things. And now, a different, much more real-world task lies in his future. Astin has been officially elected as president of one of Hollywood's largest unions, the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, also known as SAG-AFTRA.
Entertainment Weekly shared the news in an article published September 12. Along with the announcement, EW published a statement from Austin, in which the Stranger Things star showed gratitude and a hopeful outlook for what was to come. "Now is a time for optimism and creativity," Astin said. "I am thrilled that the members have allowed me to lead our storied organization out of this challenging moment and into a future defined by confidence, progress and fierce advocacy."
But Astin's statement wasn't all about the future: our beloved Samwise Gamgee also spoke briefly about SAG-AFTRA presidents gone by, one of whom was his own mom. "I am the first second generation president of our union," the actor's statement concluded. "My mother, Patty Duke, modeled for me the awesome responsibility of caring for every member of our union. I'm excited to get to work."
Joining Astin in a leadership role is Star Trek: Picard and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Michelle Hurd, who was elected as Secretary Treasurer. The two will serve for at least a two-year term, which began Friday, September 12. For more on the current era of SAG-AFTRA and the problems the union has been facing in the wake of things like AI image duplication, keep an eye on Popverse.
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