It has shockingly been announced today that Anton Yelchin has died from a freak car accident at his home. He was only 27 years old.
The son of two Russian figure skaters who took refuge in the States when he was still a baby, Yelchin got started in Hollywood as a child actor. His most notable early role was in Hearts of Atlantis, playing the younger version of the main character, who befriends his possibly psychic neighbor Anthony Hopkins.
Yelchin's first big breaks came with Alpha Dog, where he played a slightly fictionalized version of murder victim Nicholas Markowitz, and Charlie Bartlett, staring as the Ferris Bueller like titular character. However, his true breakthrough came in 2009 with two big time blockbusters. The first was the generally unsatisfactory Terminator Salvation, where he was one of the few bright spots as a teenage Kyle Reese. But the one that made him shine with the public was as the more handsome and humorous version of Ensign Pavel Chekov in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek.
Since then, he has quickly made a name for himself in both Hollywood and indie productions as a more than capable actor portraying young adults. His good looks, ability to play a likable hero, and a desire to experiment allowed him to star in cult horror titles such as the remake of Fright Night and the Dean Koontz' adaptation of Odd Thomas. His quirky voice also gave him plenty of voice-over work, with his biggest role being as Clumsy Smurf in The Smurfs films and specials.
2016 looked to be another great year for Yelchin, as his performance in Green Room saw raves and he's set to reprise Chekov in Star Trek Beyond. He had a lot more on his plate into becoming a better young star but sadly we will never see it.
He will sorely be missed.
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