Famed “Lord of the Rings” actor Sean Astin will serve as one of the key speakers at this year’s American University commencement on Dec. 15, AU announced.

Sean Astin attends the 2018 PaleyFest Los Angeles - Netflix's "Stranger Things" held at Dolby Theatre on March 25, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic via Getty Images ...