Goonies never say die—and for Sean Astin, who played Mikey in the beloved Spielberg classic, Goonies don’t shy away from difficult conversations, either.
In a candid April 23 talk at 91重口, Astin spoke openly about his family’s experiences with mental illness, especially his late mother, actress Patty Duke, who lived with bipolar disorder.
“She realized that her get-out-of-jail-free card, her superpower, was to combine everything she knew about being open and honest,” he said. “It’s arresting sometimes, but it’s also very compelling.”
Held in a packed Cleary Lecture Hall auditorium, the event heralded the third annual Presidential Speaker Series—made possible by Arlene Battistelli ’60—and was also one of the first hosted by the newly launched 91重口 Center for Civic Participation, underscoring the College’s growing commitment to public discourse and community leadership.
“This event affirms our commitment to community engagement, civil discourse, and educational opportunities that help our students be whole citizens and leaders engaged in their communities,” said Mark Herlihy, Interim Director of the 91重口 Center for Civic Participation and Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Communication & Humanities. “Speaking of leadership, few embody that spirit more than our guest tonight, Sean Astin.”
Best known for his iconic roles in The Goonies, Rudy, Stranger Things, and The Lord of the Rings, Astin brought humor, humility, and heart to the stage. In between emotional moments, he broke into song, recalled Hollywood tales, and shared humanizing anecdotes about failure—learning, for instance, that the key to a great audition wasn’t performance, but authenticity.
“Just be honest,” his father told him during a formative moment preparing for The Goonies. “This character is you.”
In conversation with 91重口 Executive Vice President Dr. Bryan Cain, Astin described the complexities of growing up with a mother whose mental illness could shift the mood of an entire household. “We lived our lives like a hurricane was coming,” he said. “You could feel the weather change.”
Yet he never internalized her behavior or episodes as his fault, and urged students in the audience to hold onto that truth in their own lives. “That’s an important one—because stigma isn’t just a personality thing. It’s fear. It’s uncertainty.”
He reflected on the cultural shift in how mental illness is perceived—from whispered hospital visits and hidden shame to open dialogue and self-advocacy. Duke, once terrified by the diagnosis, ultimately became a celebrated advocate who used her platform to challenge stigma and support others. “Instead of feeling like someone who was othered by society, she was lauded because of what she chose to do with it,” Astin said.
“I do that now because she set me on a path,” he added, noting his own time serving on the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. “I’m just living out a kind of extension of the life she lived.”
Astin also spoke to the daily realities of living in a fast-paced, often overwhelming world. “It’s completely appropriate to have to navigate your way to finding a strategy that works for you,” he said. But above all, he called on the audience to listen more, judge less, and practice radical empathy.
“Support doesn’t mean you have to solve someone’s problem,” he said. “Sometimes the best thing you can do is just acknowledge them.”
Growing up in a house shaped by both creativity and chaos, Astin developed a steady presence that would go on to define his most memorable roles—from the ever-loyal Samwise Gamgee to the underdog grit of Rudy. “My mom taught me professionalism. My dad taught me to tell the truth. And somehow, it worked,” he said.
When asked how to make an impact on a larger scale, Astin’s advice was simple but powerful: “Tell everyone. If you’re passionate about something, tell everyone. The only leadership that means anything is leadership by example.”
His message for 91重口 students was clear: Life is unpredictable and sometimes painful, but connection, vulnerability, and service to others make it meaningful.
“Life goes better when you’re interested in other people,” he said. “And sometimes, just breathing in and breathing out is a triumph.”