Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Saturday, May 10, 2008
Ryan Stotts: Movie actor seeks to inspire Luther graduates
So I was on the phone with Sean Astin the other day.
You might recognize him as the actor who played Samwise Gamgee in the “Lord of the Rings” films. Or as Notre Dame football player “Rudy” in the film of the same name. He was also in “Goonies” and “War of the Roses.”
If you still don’t know him, you might recognize his mom: Patty Duke.
Anyway, we were talking because Astin starred in a film titled “The Final Season,” in which he played Norway, Iowa, baseball coach Kent Stock. It was shot in and around Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The film is based on the true story of the Tigers, a small town high school team that won 20 state championships before being merged into a larger school district.
Because of his role in the inspirational movie, Astin and the real life coach Stock will be co-delivering the 2008 commencement at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
Astin told me all the things you might expect to hear actors — and the inspirational local heroes they portray — say at a commencement address. Be a leader. Take personal responsibility. Take action. Find what’s special and good about yourself and apply it to the world around you.
But then he said something that made me understand why he was chosen to speak at the ceremony.
“It’s a big year in this country,” Astin said. “We’ve reached a year of critical mass. We have to respect people up and down the food chain, as well as try and retain our sense of culture as a country in the face of over-population, over-transportation, over ... everything.”
He went into this deeper. Stock’s story, Astin explained to me, is about leadership, perseverance and a tradition of excellence. That’s true, but it’s also about not losing yourself in a world rapidly growing out of control in every direction.
“It’s not just saying you have to achieve glory,” he said. “It’s the little things. It’s living intensely in the moment. It’s about having an emotional relationship to your skills.”
Astin has found that relationship for himself. He’s been campaining for Hillary Rodham Clinton for the past three months. He was also a part of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, promoting a culture of volunteerism.
And he keeps making movies. Big movies, small movies, television movies — but he keeps working on his own tradition of excellence.
Astin also keeps heralding the message that “everybody’s got to play their role to the best of their ability.” He’ll tell you it’s more important than ever right now.
Those young adults at Luther are lucky. They get a commencement address from someone who knows what he’s talking about.
When he’s not talking to Patty Duke’s relatives, Ryan Stotts can be reached at (608) 791-8446 or ryan.stotts@lee.net.
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