Sean Astin knows a powerful speech by his "Lord of the Rings" character, Samwise Gamgee, has been a rallying cry for the anti-President Trump crowd, but he's also channeling Sam's optimism about the future. We're on a long journey, just taking it day by day, so keep your spirits up and don't lose hope.

TMZ caught up with Astin at the airport, and they talked about "The Lord of the Rings" as a political metaphor. As Astin put it, "I think 'Lord of the Rings' is about persevering in the face of overwhelming odds. [...] It's funny, right when Trump got elected, there's a speech that Samwise delivers in 'The Two Towers' where he talks about there's some good in this world that worth fighting for."

TMZ said that's his quote, right?

Astin responded, "Yeah but that was in November. Now we're in March and things are happening. So I think it was more like Frodo and Sam walking across Mordor. [...] That's what we're doing now, we're walking across Mordor."

He said he was feeling better about the future than he had in a long time, referencing how Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from any future investigations related to Trump's presidential campaign. "And Trump has shown signs of willing to behave in a way that isn't ... you know, he's been growing," Astin continued. "I've noted his growth. It's a low bar, but I've noted his growth."

Here's Sam's speech:[via TMZ]

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