“Lord of the Rings” actor Sean Astin and his daughter Ali shared her post-grad plans after her Harvard graduation. She graduated with a master’s degree in Dramatic Arts and Anthropology.
Astin told PEOPLE of her thesis project, “I’m excited for Ali to keep creating. Her PH.D. research is so important, not just for professional artists but for our entire species. She is charting an academic path to understanding the nature of human emotion in drama. Who knows where that will go?”
Astin continued, “Ali also has a day job working in her family’s industry, which is actually bringing us opportunities to collaborate. Selfishly, I’m beyond excited that she has asked me to direct her in a film this summer that she wrote. Maybe we’ll be able to test some of her thesis ideas. Ali is an original, and the sky is the limit with her future.”
Today, my eldest Ali graduated with a Masters Degree in Dramatic Arts (& Anthropology) from Harvard University, where she also did her undergrad work.
She won the Deans Prize for Outstanding Thesis in the Humanities attached here for your reading enjoyment. ?
She has the… pic.twitter.com/rW2EXwXeaF
— Sean Astin (@SeanAstin) May 25, 2023
Ali discussed her father’s constant support and what that meant as she worked towards her master’s. She said, “My dad has the biggest heart of anyone I know. And nowhere was that more evident than at this graduation. He stood, literally, on his tip toes for five hours in Harvard yard, just taking it all in!”
She shared what she’s most excited about in post-grad life: “Playing With Fire,” the movie she’s working on with her dad. She gushed, “Dad’s always been my cheerleader behind the scenes, running lines with me, giving me notes, so being directed by him, having him bring my screenplay to life, working side by side, there’s a lot to look forward to after graduation.”
Ali even gave Astin a shout-out in the dedication of her thesis. She wrote, “To my father, for teaching me how cathartic and entertaining it can be to embrace absurd emotion. He is at fault for the weirdness I inflict upon the world, and for that, I’m truly grateful. Let no mistakes be made in this reality — I am who I am because of my family, and without their support, none of my work could be possible.”