Man, this sucks. Anton Yelchin, best known for playing Chekhov in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek films, has passed away at the age of 27. His publicist Jennifer Allen confirmed the sad news; reportedly he was found pinned in his car, and no foul play is suspected.
Yelchin was enormously talented, and had a knack for elevating even subpar material. Look at his portrayal of Bobby Garfield in Hearts in Atlantis, his breakout role. The film is just okay, and doesn’t do justice to Stephen King’s magnificent novel, but Yelchin more than holds his own opposite Anthony Hopkins. He even managed to scrape some good scenes out of Terminator Salvation, playing Kyle Reese and showcasing some badass chops beyond his years.
He was a very prolific actor in indie films; some of his earliest breaks were in Charlie Bartlett and Alpha Dog, and he just turned in a wonderful performance in Green Room.
Yelchin had just wrapped Star Trek Beyond, and was set to play Brady Hartsfield in another King adaptation, Mr. Mercedes. Whoever takes the role now officially has some big shoes to fill.
This just sucks. Yelchin will be missed.
About Author
