Anton Yelchin 1989 - 2016

Actor Anton Yelchin has passed away at 27.

Born in Russia, Anton Yelchin’s parents were figure skaters who were celebrities as stars of the Leningrad Ice Ballet. The family would move to the United States when he was only six months old, and through his childhood would study skating and music, and would eventually study film at the University of Southern California.

He began acting at the age of nine when he appeared in the independent film A MAN IS MOSTLY WATER (2000), and a year later would star alongside Sir Anthony Hopkins in HEARTS IN ATLANTIS (2001); an adaptation of the Stephen King novel which would earn the young actor an award at the 2002 Young Artist Awards. He would appear in several TV shows such as ER, JUDGING AMY, THE PRACTICE, WITHOUT A TRACE, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, NYPD BLUE, LAW &ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT, and CRIMINAL MINDS.

Back on the big screen, his growing star would shine brightly in ALPHA DOG (2006), CHARLIE BARTLETT (2007), and MIDDLE OF NOWHERE (2008). He would play the role of young Kyle Reese in TERMINATOR: SALVATION (2009).

He earned a new following within geek culture when he dazzled as a young Pavel Chekov in the rebooted STAR TREK film franchise, which began in 2009 with JJ Abrams’ STAR TREK. He would reprise the role in the 2013 sequel, INTO DARKNESS, and will appear one last time as Chekov in the upcoming July 2016 TREK sequel, sub-titled BEYOND.

His other notable film credits include THE BEAVER (2011), THE SMURFS (2011), ODD THOMAS (2013), ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (2013), and GREEN ROOM (2015).

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Like most, this Blogger took notice of Anton Yelchin in 2007 in CHARLIE BARTLETT, where he played a teen dishing out therapeutic advice and prescription drugs. In that role, he went toe-to-toe with a newly emerging, yet seasoned Robert Downey Jr., and it was clear in that film that Yelchin had the chops to run with the big dogs. He would be equally impressive in TERMINATOR: SALVATION; which was not a great movie but Yelchin was a bright spot. In 2009, when he re-invigorated the role of Chekov in STAR TREK, it was an incredible performance which was done with just the right amount of innocence, sincerity, and comedic timing. He would show tremendous range by tackling full-on drama as a brooding teenager in Jodie Foster’s THE BEAVER, and the outstanding vampire flick ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE. This Blogger held Yelchin up very high on the ladder of actors who were fun and interesting to watch, and who instantly made every movie better. He was a master at blending in; going from a Russian wiz-kid to an American punk-ass teenager in a blink. His passing is a robbery and a tragedy, as we are deprived of all the great performances he never got around to. His voyage has ended, but his star is one that we will always remember.