‘Goonies’ Star Sean Astin Embraces Nepo Baby Status: “I Don’t Begrudge Myself Having Been Born Into A Family Where I Was Given A Lot”

Goonies star Sean Astin is embracing his nepo baby legacy. According to the actor, he proudly credits “nepotism” for helping him get his start in Hollywood.

Sean, who is the son of Oscar-winning actress Patty Duke and The Addams Family series star John Astin, recently opened up to Page Six about being a nepo baby.

“Listen, it’s just true. Life is hard, work is hard. Finding your way in the world is hard. So when people have some good fortune, I don’t begrudge that,” he said. “And I don’t begrudge myself having been born into a family where I was given a lot. I also feel that that comes with a lot of responsibility that you have the opportunity to embrace or not.”

Referring to his experience with nepotism, Sean joked, “So yeah… you know… nailed it. Got it in one!”

The star’s first acting credit was for the 1981 TV movie Please Don’t Hit Me, Mom, in which he starred alongside Duke, his real-life mother, as the son she was secretly abusing.

Not only did his mom’s established fame helped kickstart his decades-long career as an actor, but she also influenced the type of celebrity he has since become.

“I was raised by a mother, Patty Duke, who had such an easy connection with people everywhere, everywhere she went,” he dished to Page Six. “Such a normal way of communicating. And it was so disarming for people.”

He added, “That was my experience as a little child, watching an impact that people could have with each other. And I think in some way my life just sort of emulates that in a strange way.”

At a young teenager, Sean made his feature film debut as Mikey in the 1985 adventure comedy film The Goonies, before starring in countless movies like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, 50 First Dates and Rudy. Netflix subscribers would also recognize him as Joyce’s (Winona Ryder) beloved Season 2 boyfriend Bob in Stranger Things.