‘I Was Offended’: The Goonies’ Sean Austin Debunks Longstanding Rumor

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Uncovering some fascinating tidbits about the making of “The Goonies” only serves to enhance its status as a timeless family-adventure classic. For example, Josh Brolin disclosed his struggles with nepotism while trying to land a role in the ’80s film, and an intriguing deleted scene featuring an octopus was axed due to poor visual effects. Yet, a common backstage story about one iconic scene that had been circulating for years was refuted by star Sean Astin, who found it particularly upsetting.

At Awesome Con, during a question and answer session moderated by People, a fan questioned the authenticity of an old rumor regarding the cast of The Goonies. It’s been suggested that the genuine reactions of the young cast when they first saw One-Eyed Willy’s pirate ship were real because director Richard Donner reportedly kept it hidden until filming. However, Sean Astin quickly dismissed this theory as unfounded.

I found it surprising and a bit disappointing that they didn’t want the children to witness the pirate ship, apparently for the sake of capturing genuine reactions. It seemed as though they were questioning our ability to create authentic experiences, when in fact, we frequently recorded genuine reactions from the kids.

It’s clear why Sean Astin might find such a statement “upsetting.” After all, _The Goonies_ was the big-screen introduction for many of its child actors. He likely feels that it’s unfair to suggest they couldn’t act unless they were taken by surprise. In reality, their acting skills were genuine and not just because they happened to be caught off guard; it was due to their inherent talents instead.

In many films, it’s not uncommon to see genuine reactions from the actors when something unexpected happens on set, as captured on screen. For instance, an intriguing detail from the sci-fi movie “Alien” revealed that the cast’s reactions during the chestburster scene were authentic because they truly reacted to what was happening in front of them, not just reading it from a script. Similarly, in behind-the-scenes facts about “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” it was mentioned that the children’s wide-eyed expressions upon seeing the chocolate room were real, as director Mel Stuart wanted their genuine reactions to the room for the first time. Despite being told what would happen, nothing can fully prepare an actor for the actual experience compared to reading about it in a script.

The actors in The Goonies film may have had an idea of how the legendary pirate ship would appear. Simultaneously, Sean Astin ensured his acting didn’t reveal this knowledge to the audience.

However, I recall aspiring to present it authentically, as I’d already caught a glimpse of it. Thus, I aimed to perform in such a manner that would convince them they had genuinely captured my genuine reactions. Consequently, they might look back and say for 40 years, ‘Wow, we managed to make these kids do this remarkable thing!’

While cast members like Sean Astin saw One-Eyed Willy’s ship before, others apparently did see the pirate ship for the first time, like Martha Plimpton. She revealed at the panel that her surprised expression upon seeing the ship was “honest” and joked it only required one take. Josh Brolin also said on Instagram back in 2019 that he never saw the ship before either until filming. The shocking spectacle in front of him caused him to let out an F-bomb, which made him have to do the take all over again. After all, a 150-foot-long pirate ship isn’t something you see every day.

According to Sean Astin, it appears that the persistent speculation about the Goonies not discovering One-Eyed Willy’s ship until after shooting has been proven false. Despite the Goonies’ motto being “never say die,” they are equally committed to truthfully acknowledging their exceptional acting abilities.

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2025-04-08 15:07