Sean Astin has been elected as the new SAG-AFTRA president. Astin, who first broke out in The Goonies and has since starred in notable movies including Rudy and The Lord of the Rings franchise, succeeds Fran Drescher as the leader of the union that represents actors and others working in movies, television, and radio.

Results of the election were announced Friday, September 12, with Astin taking 79% of the vote against Chuck Slavin, a member of SAG-AFTRA’s New England local board. Also elected to the role of secretary-treasurer is Michelle Hurd, who played Raffi Musiker on Star Trek: Picard and was most recently seen in a couple of episodes of Netflix’s You season 5.

Shortly after being elected to the role of president, for which he will serve a two-year term, Astin released a statement where he said:

“Now is a time for optimism and creativity. 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.”

Astin has said he became more active in the politics of SAG-AFTRA over the last six years, most notably during the COVID-19 pandemic. That included serving on the negotiating committee for the union during the 2023 actor’s strike.

That experience will likely come in handy, as SAG-AFTRA is expected to begin new negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in 2026. AMPTP did issue a statement congratulating Astin and saying they look forward to working with him.

Talking about future negotiations, Astin praised Drescher’s work during the 2023 strike, saying that his job is to “extend” the work that she did, and “to approach any negotiation with an open mind and an open heart, but also with absolute resolve that our dignity and our legitimate needs be understood.”

What This Means For Sean Astin

Astin is locked in for a two-year term, which begins immediately and will last until September 2027. He would be eligible to run for re-election at that time.

While serving as president of SAG-AFTRA is certainly a large responsibility, it should not preclude Astin from continuing to work as an actor. Drescher appeared in multiple TV shows (primarily in guest roles) during her tenure as SAG-AFTRA president, and was part of the Spinal Tap II cast.

Barring another strike, the most that the general public will likely see of Astin in his role as SAG-AFTRA president is an annual appearance as part of the SAG Awards. Otherwise, most of his work will take place behind the scenes as he pushes for programs to benefit SAG’s 160,000 members.

Our Take On Sean Astin Being Elected As SAG-AFTRA President

It’s hard not to be a fan of Astin considering his work in some generation-defining movies, including playing Mikey in The Goonies and Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, so his election to this new role representing his fellow actors doesn’t feel overly surprising.

He actually has a family connection to the role. Astin’s mother, the late Patty Duke, was the president of SAG, the predecessor of SAG-AFTRA, from 1985-1988. That speaks to the long history that Astin has in the acting community.

Source: Variety