Courtesy RootsTech

On Tuesday, RootsTech 2023 announced that actor Sean Astin will be the conference’s keynote speaker. RootsTech, which will be held March 2-4 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, is the annual family history conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Astin, best known for his portrayal of Samwise Gamgee in “The Lord of the Rings” movies, will take to the main stage to inspire in-person and virtual attendees through his personal messages of family and unity, according to a press release.

Astin, the son of actors Patty Duke and John Astin, began acting at age 10. His career spans four decades and includes more than 160 credits, including “The Goonies,” “50 First Dates” and “Stranger Things.”

“Sean Astin unites generations,” Jen Allen, director of events at FamilySearch, said in a press release. “My mother is just as excited as my teenagers to see him at RootsTech 2023.” Astin’s keynote address will take place at the RootsTech General Session at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 4.

Astin succeeded at building his fan base early on through roles that emphasize his good heart, hope, determination and loyalty, all of which follow his personal motto — “people will root for anyone who shows them their heart.”

Courtesy RootsTech

RootsTech also announced that local actor, songwriter and comedian Kirby Heyborne will emcee the event. Heyborne is known for his leadership as host of the BYUtv show “Making Good,” which highlights charities that make the world a better place, according to a press release.

Heyborne started his career in movies popular with the Latter-day Saint population, including “The RM,” “The Singles Ward” and “The Best Two Years.” He later went on to star in commercials for Best Buy and Verizon and to narrate audiobooks, including those for “Gone Girl,” “Battle of the Ampere” and “The Last Shadow.”

Married to his high school sweetheart, Heyborne and his wife have three children. He is a dedicated husband and father with a strong desire to connect to his family roots, which will shine through in his role as an emcee at RootsTech 2023.

Interested people can register to attend the conference at http://rootstech.org.

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