Once again, the internet needs reminding that Sean Astin is a legitimate icon. Since his days as a child star in The Goonies, the professional actor has more than proven his worth, and it’s time he’s shown the respect he deserves.
And yet, somehow, many on social media seem to forget that he’s starred in some of the most iconic films of the last 40 years, relegating his stardom to simply that time he played Bob on Netflix’s Stranger Things. It’s a familiar problem, as Buzzfeed pointed out in 2019. Regrettably, it is happening again. During the Democratic National Convention, @popbase posted on X that “Bob from Stranger Things” had made an appearance. Who do they have running the account? A 16-year-old who’s never seen a film before 2015?
While the Netflix fantasy show is undoubtedly a success, it deprives Astin of all he’s achieved in his 4 decades in the entertainment industry. It can be downright exhausting to have to explain how monumental The Lord of the Rings was in the early aughts, but luckily, many on social media were up for the task.
It wasn’t long before a frenzy of corrections started to overwhelm the internet.
Samwise Gamgee was not just part of the Fellowship; he was the Fellowship. He endured gaslighting from Gollum, carried an entire kitchen set on his back, and even killed the spider monster, Shelob. He was unwavering in his commitment to Frodo to such a degree that he even came back after his friend turned him away. Misnomering him is disrespect of the highest order. And it wasn’t just Lord of the Rings fans who entered the chat. Some critics were quick to cite all the other contributions Astin has given to the entertainment industry.
Rudy, Encino Man, Fifty First Dates — come on, people! Bob was a fixture in Stranger Things season 2, sure, but his heroic death won’t be what we remember when the series ultimately ends. Astin’s true claim to fame is being one of the few non-elves invited to the Undying Lands. He was a Ring Bearer for however short a time, after all. Give the bravest Hobbit who ever lived some credit — and the man who played him the respect he deserves.