In which John Astin's granddaughter is a queen

[froodle]

Sean Astin is a movie and television icon, but this weekend, he’s just a dad.

Astin and his wife, Christine, are in Winchester to support their 15-year-old daughter, Elizabeth Louise Astin, who was crowned Friday afternoon as Queen Shenandoah XCI.

Joining them at the 91st Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival are their other two daughters, 21-year-old Alexandra “Ali” Astin and 12-year-old Bella Astin, as well as Ali’s fiance, Ben Ubinas.

Sean and Christine Astin said they are thrilled to see the spotlight shining on Elizabeth.

“There was an electronic marquee and we saw her name come up, and we looked at each other and thought, ‘Yeah, that’s about right. Queen Elizabeth,’” Sean Astin said Friday afternoon.

Elizabeth is the second royal member of the Astin family. Ali Astin served as Queen Shenandoah LXXXVII in 2014.

“And mom’s a queen,” Ali Astin said Friday, referring to Christine Astin being crowned Miss Teen Indiana in 1994.

“Queen Mother now,” Sean Astin said. “But there’s no Queen Father. The father’s just kind of an appendage, but they let me stay.”

Sean Astin’s father, actor John Astin of “The Addams Family” fame, attended Ali Astin’s coronation four years ago, but wasn’t able to return this year for Elizabeth’s ceremony.

“We told him too late,” Sean Astin said. “I told him only a month ago and he had already agreed to be at a wedding.”

The Astin family has been praised by Bloom Nation for their kindness and warmth. Sean Astin said he learned the importance of respecting others from his dad.

“He said, ‘Every single human interaction is sacred,’” Sean Astin said. “I don’t think we live up to it all the time, but we try to appreciate that.”

Sean Astin, 47, grew up in show business, making his first screen appearance in the 1981 television movie “Please Don’t Hit Me, Mom,” which starred his real-life mother, Patty Duke.

His first big-screen role was in 1985 when, at the age of 13, he played Mikey in “The Goonies.” He went on to cement his icon status with dozens of other performances, including the title role in the movie “Rudy” and the character of Samwise Gamgee in director Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.

Sean Astin earned a whole new generation of fans last year when he portrayed Bob Newby in Season Two of the wildly popular Netflix television series “Stranger Things.”

“Our friends are so stoked,” Elizabeth said. “The sweetest part of him came out in that show.”

“They gave him a jean jacket that had ‘Stranger Things’ on the back of it and I took it to college with me,” said Ali Astin, who studies at Harvard University. “Everybody at school started coming up to me and asking, ‘Where did you get your jacket? I need it.’ So he must be cool.”

“Are you recording this?” their father asked. “They’re in public and have to say something nice. I just want it captured.”

Sean Astin, who first came to Winchester in 2004 as co-grand marshal of that year’s Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival, said he and his wife would be honored to return for a fourth time to place the queen’s crown upon the head of their youngest daughter.

“We do have one final princess who could do that if she was invited,” Sean Astin said. “They wouldn’t have to ask twice.”

“Honestly, that would be a dream come true for me,” Bella said. “I hope I can come back here.”

For now, though, it’s Elizabeth’s time to shine.

“Now that you’re queen, are you going to ditch the rest of us?” Ali Astin asked her sister.

“Yes!” Elizabeth said with a laugh.