Skylar Astin is a talented actor and singer who has starred in popular movies and shows like Pitch Perfect, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, and So Help Me Todd. But is he also related to a Hollywood legend? Some fans have speculated that Skylar Astin is related to Patty Duke, an Oscar-winning actress who was married to John Astin, best known for playing Gomez Addams in The Addams Family TV show. However, the truth is not so simple. Here’s what we know about Skylar Astin’s family and his connection to Patty Duke.
Skylar Astin’s Parents and Siblings
Skylar Astin was born on September 23, 1987 in New York City as Skylar Astin Lipstein. His parents are Meryl and Barry Lipstein, who raised him and his two brothers, Jace and Milan, in New City, New York. Barry reportedly worked as a garment industry executive, while Meryl is active on social media and often shares photos of her family.
Skylar decided to use his middle name as his stage name when he was 15, at the suggestion of his first agent. He explained to Movieline in 2012 that he was not ashamed or embarrassed by his last name, but that his agent thought it was “less specific to one thing”. He added that he will always be Skylar Lipstein to his friends.
Skylar Astin’s Relationship to Patty Duke
Patty Duke was an acclaimed actress who won an Academy Award for playing Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker (1962) when she was 16. She also had her own sitcom, The Patty Duke Show, and starred in several other movies and TV shows. She was married four times and had three sons: Sean Astin, Mackenzie Astin, and Kevin Pearce.
Patty Duke married John Astin in 1972, around the same time she became pregnant with Sean. However, there was some confusion about Sean’s paternity, as Patty had also been involved with Desi Arnaz Jr., the son of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. For a while, it was reported that Desi Jr. was Sean’s biological father, but later DNA tests confirmed that John Astin was.
John Astin adopted Sean and raised him as his own son, along with his brother Mackenzie, who was born in 1973. John and Patty divorced in 1985, but remained friends until her death in 2016. John is still alive and working as an actor and director.
So, is Skylar Astin related to Patty Duke? The answer is no. Skylar Astin is not biologically or legally related to Patty Duke or John Astin. He does not share their last name by blood or by adoption. He is not their son, grandson, nephew, cousin, or any other kind of kin.
However, there is one possible link between Skylar Astin and Patty Duke’s family: Sean Astin. Sean Astin is a successful actor who has appeared in movies like The Goonies (1985), Rudy (1993), The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003), and Stranger Things (2017). He is also a friend and colleague of Skylar Astin.
Sean and Skylar met when they both starred in the musical Spring Awakening on Broadway in 2006. They played friends Georg and Moritz, respectively. They have since remained close and have supported each other’s careers. In fact, Sean even guest-starred on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist as Skylar’s character’s father.
So, while Skylar Astin is not related to Patty Duke by blood or by law, he is related to her by friendship and by art. He considers Sean Astin as his “brother from another mother”, as he wrote on Instagram in 2020. And Sean has called Skylar his “Spring Awakening brother” on Twitter.
Therefore, the rumors about Skylar Astin being related to Patty Duke are false, but the bond between him and Sean Astin is real. They are both talented actors who share a love for music and theater. And they both have a connection to a Hollywood icon who left a lasting legacy on the screen and on the stage..
