Sean Astin Celebrates Daughter’s Harvard Graduation: ‘The Sky Is The Limit With Her Future’
By Movieguide® Contributor
LOTR actor Sean Astin and his daughter Ali have shared her post-grad plans following her graduation from Harvard.
Ali just graduated from Harvard with a masters degree in dramatic arts and anthropology.
“I’m excited for Ali to keep creating. Her PhD Research is so important, not just for professional artists but for our entire species,” the actor told People of Ali’s thesis project. “She is charting an academic path to understanding the nature of human emotion in drama. Who knows where that will go?”
Astin continued, “Ali also has a day job working in her family’s industry, which is actually bringing us opportunities to collaborate. Selfishly, I’m beyond excited that she has asked me to direct her in a film this summer that she wrote. Maybe we’ll be able to test some of her thesis ideas. Ali is an original, and the sky is the limit with her future.”
Ali spoke about her dad’s constant support and what that has meant to her as she worked towards her masters.
“My dad has the biggest heart of anyone I know,” she shared. “And nowhere was that more evident than at this graduation — he stood, literally, on his tip toes for five hours in Harvard yard, just taking it all in!”
She went on to say that the thing she’s most excited about in post-grad life — “Besides my PhD work” — is PLAYING WITH FIRE, the movie she and Astin are working on.
“Dad’s always been my cheerleader behind the scenes, running lines with me, giving me notes… so being directed by him, having him bring my screenplay to life, working side by side — there’s a lot to look forward to after graduation,” Ali gushed.
Ali even gave Astin a shout out in the dedication of her thesis.
“To my father, for teaching me how cathartic and entertaining it can be to embrace absurd emotion,” she wrote. “He is at fault for the weirdness I inflict upon the world, and for that, I’m truly grateful. Let no mistakes be made in this reality — I am who I am because of my family, and without their support, none of my work could be possible.”
Today, my eldest Ali graduated with a Masters Degree in Dramatic Arts (& Anthropology) from Harvard University, where she also did her undergrad work.
She won the Deans Prize for Outstanding Thesis in the Humanities attached here for your reading enjoyment. 😁
She has the… pic.twitter.com/rW2EXwXeaF
— Sean Astin (@SeanAstin) May 25, 2023
Astin is best known for his role as Samwise in Peter Jackson’s LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
