Mikey from 'the Goonies' Was 'Ostracized' by Mom & Didn't Know Who His Father Was until 26 – He's 'Sweet' Dad of 3 Now

• Sean Astin, who played Mikey Walsh in "The Goonies," is a doting dad of three girls now after having a rough childhood because of his mom, Patty Duke.
• The actor gained weight yet looks "sweet" at 52.
• He opened up about discovering who his biological dad was out of 4 possible men when he was 26.

Sean Astin is an American actor best known for his role as Mikey Walsh in "The Goonies," but he also had many other acting credits. His lovable characters have captured the hearts of fans worldwide through the ages.

Astin also starred in titles like "50 First Dates," "No Good Nick," and most recently, he starred in the wildly popular sitcom "Stranger Things."

However, Astin's career is not the only thing that has added immense value to his life. The actor is also the doting father of three beautiful girls. He has become a perfect father, despite having a difficult upbringing.

52-year-old Astin and his brother have recently shared what it was like to grow up with a mentally unwell mother. The brothers recalled their early years being difficult.

Astin said his mother would have "freakouts" occasionally, leaving Astin and his younger brother in the wake of the meltdown. When their mother was having a bad day, the boys could do nothing to stop her anger.

The actor recalled that he was building a model plane in his bedroom one day. As he created, he cleaned up around him so his room was not messy and he could keep his mom happy.

Unfortunately for Astin, even this thoughtful action did not please his mother. Instead, she angrily told Astin he was trying to be perfect. She then fetched a glass of water, which she threw in his face.

Astin, the eldest sibling, was often "ostracized" by his mother. By the time Astin was eleven, and his brother was nine, they found out their mother had bipolar disorder, which caused her to act out against her family.

The same year doctors diagnosed her bipolar disorder, Astin's mother split from their father and began receiving lithium treatments. Now, she is better and says the most challenging thing was earning her children's trust back after scaring them for so long.

However, Astin and his brother do not remember their mother, only as someone who had regular outbursts. Instead, they remember her as a strong woman who wanted them to be the best they could be and always be independent.

How Does Astin Look Now, and What Kind of Family Does He Have?

Astin recently took to Instagram to share that he has just completed a marathon. In the photo, he held his medal in his mouth and used the caption to talk about the marathon, his weight, and his mother.

First, he said there were two ways of looking at his body following the marathon. He could think he needed to lose weight or marvel that his body could carry him through the marathon without failure.

He then gushed that the spectators had been fantastic, cheering the runners on at every turn. He joked that he thought the spectators might compete with who could be loudest, and they all tied.

However, Astin acknowledged that his weight had negatively affected him and said he had to use every physical and mental trick to get to the finish line of the marathon.

Astin then said that despite everything, he had made it to the end of the race and knew his mother was up in heaven smiling down on him for being able to finish what he started and giving him strength, for which Astin thanked her.

Like many other celebrities, Aston uses Cameo, an app that allows fans to pay for personalized videos from the actor. One video he did gained a lot of attention on Instagram.

Astin did a video for someone who had just graduated and spoke to them about their future, saying they needn't pressure themselves and instead take things day by day and find their passion.

During the video, Astin also hummed the graduation March and mimed moving the tassel from one side of the graduation hat to the other and then throwing the cap in the air.

While Astin appeared relaxed in a black t-shirt and his thick-rimmed glasses, fans could not get enough of the video. One fan commented:

"He is so sweet!!!"

And others said they would love to hear from him on their graduation. When Astin is not capturing the hearts of millions with his cameo videos or his sweet onscreen characters, he is a family man.

Astin and his wife met on the set of Kangaroo Court in the 1990s and have been married for 31 years. They have also built a beautiful family together, comprising three children.

The actor and his wife have welcomed three beautiful daughters together. Their daughter Alexandra, AKA Ali, has graduated from Harvard and is now following in her father's acting footsteps.

Ali's earliest role was in 2003's "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" and her most recent role was in 2018's "Apocalypse Society." While building a successful career, she will always be her dad's little girl.

In 2019, at Ali's Harvard graduation, Astin and his wife stood alongside their daughter and smiled proudly as she held her certificate. Then Astin took a candid photo of his daughter holding her diploma. He mentioned how proud he was in the caption.

There is very little information on Astin's other two daughters, but he often posts photos of them on his social media. All three of Astin's daughters bear a strong resemblance to their mother.

Who is Sean Astin's Real Dad?

While Astin had a difficult childhood with his mother, it was not the only difficult time he faced in his youth. When he was 14, he discovered his father was not his biological father.

Astin was 14 when his mother told him that John Astin was not his birth father. Astin's mother, Patty Duke, had given birth to him when she was 23 and single. Astin was the result of a scandalous relationship Duke had with 17-year-old Desi Arnaz Jr.

Duke then had a man named Michael Tell subletting her apartment. When Tell learned of the affair and the subsequent pregnancy, he offered to marry Duke. She agreed, but their marriage did not last two weeks, ending long before Astin's birth.

Duke then told Astin that his father was Arnaz Jr., and the pair developed a close relationship. However, a relative of Tell's later told Astin that he was Tell's biological son.

Astin decided on a paternity test to find answers about where he really came from. The examination revealed that Tell was indeed Astin's biological father. He then had a bond with both men.

Now, Astin considers John Astin his father because that is who raised him. However, he maintains a bond with Arnaz Jr., Tell, and his mother's new husband, Mike Pearce. He said:

"I can call any of them on the phone anytime I want to. John, Desi, Mike, or Papa Mike … my four dads."

Although the actor had a difficult time when he was growing up, he has become a successful actor and an even better father. What an inspirational story of overcoming obstacles.