August 25^th, 2004 (12:00am) - Vivendi Universal Games has announced that a “stupid fat hobbit” has joined the voice-over cast of its intense and gritty first-person action videogame Men of Valor. Yes, Sean Astin, known as Sam Gamgee, will lend his voice to the upcoming Vietnam epic. Developed by 2015 Inc., the acclaimed creators of Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Men of Valor will be available on the Xbox and PC on October 26th.

In Men of Valor, Astin voices the role of the novice, yet confident radioman Pat Hodges, better know to the squad as "Mouth." In this action-packed realistic portrayal of the Vietnam War, "Mouth," who is never seen without his backpack radio, speaks directly to the player, calling in fire and artillery support. In order to succeed, gamers must pay close attention to "Mouth’s" directions during their quest to defeat the Vietcong and complete the game’s daunting missions while in the humid and chaotic jungles of Southeast Asia.

"I am thrilled to be a part of this game," said Astin. "It is obvious that the developers spent just as much time researching and developing the script as they did with the awesome graphics."

Michael Pole, EVP, Worldwide Studios, VU Games, echoed Astin’s sentiments: "It is only fitting that we have an actor of Astin’s caliber involved with a game like Men of Valor," he said. "The graphics and storyline in Men of Valor mirror many action and war-based films; we have a top-notch game and a top-notch actor."

Astin’s repertoire of films includes the critical and box-office success of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, 50 First Dates (Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore), Rudy and The Goonies. He received the Creative Coalition’s prestigious Spotlight Award for his efforts toward bridging the gap between Washington and Hollywood by meeting with White House staffers to raise money and awareness for nationwide art programs in schools.