June 19, 2016
Anton Yelchin, known for roles in “Star Trek” and “Alpha Dog,” died early Sunday morning in a freak accident, a spokeswoman confirmed to Variety. He was 27.
“Actor
Anton Yelchin was killed in a fatal traffic collision early this
morning,” said a statement from his representative. “His family requests
you respect their privacy at this time.
”
”
The
LAPD said he was pinned by his own car at his Studio City home. Friends
apparently became concerned when Yelchin did not show up for a band
performance. They found him at his home pinned between his car and a
brick mailbox pillar.
“It
appears he had exited his car and was behind it when the vehicle rolled
down a steep driveway,” the LAPD said in a statement.
Police
reportedly told TMZ that the engine was still running when he was
found, and that his car was in neutral. It’s not clear why he got out of
his car with the engine running.
His
most prominent role was as Pavel Chekhov, the Russian ensign in the
rebooted “Star Trek” film series. The most recent film in the franchise,
“Star Trek Beyond,” debuts on July 22.
Paramount
Pictures released a statement, saying, “All of us at Paramount join the
world in morning the untimely passing of Antony Yelchin. As a member of
the Star Trek family, he was beloved by so many and he will missed by
all. We share our deepest condolences with his mother, father and
family.”
Born
in Leningrad in the former Soviet Union, Yelchin and his family
emigrated to the United States when he was just six months old, seeking
political asylum. His parents were both star figure skaters. He began
acting at an early age, launching his professional career as a 9
year-old. He impressed critics and audiences with a series of prominent
roles, holding his own against the likes of Anthony Hopkins and Robin
Williams while playing shy or emotionally damaged kids in the likes of
“House of D” and “Hearts in Atlantis.” For two seasons he co-starred
opposite Hank Azaria in the Showtime series “Huff,” playing a
precocious teenager whose life is upended by his father’s personal and
professional crisis.
As
a young adult, he justified that early acclaim, turning in mature,
sensitively wrought performances as drug-peddling title character in
“Charlie Bartlett” and as Jacob, a lovelorn college student in Drake
Doremus’ “Like Crazy.” In the Los Angeles Times,
critic Kenneth Turan praised Yelchin’s work in “Like Crazy” as
“fearless,” writing that he “…expertly delineates the core quietness of
Jacob, his tangible seriousness and sincerity.”
Yelchin
also brushed with mainstream success, appearing in “Terminator
Salvation” and doing voice work on “The Smurfs” movies. Critics noted
that his performance in “Odd Thomas,” based on the Dean Koontz book, was
superior to the rest of the movie.
After news of Yelchin’s death broke Sunday, friends and co-stars reacted on Twitter and social media.
John
Cho, who worked with Yelchin on “Star Trek,” tweeted, “I loved Anton
Yelchin so much. He was a true artist – curious, beautiful, courageous.
He was a great pal and a great son. I’m in ruins.”
And Kat Dennings added, “Anton Yelchin was one of my best friends. Can’t say anything that conveys what this feels like.”
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