Anton Yelchin, whose full name was Anton Viktorovich Yelchin, was born on March 11, 1989, in Leningrad, Soviet Union, now Saint Petersburg, Russia. He was a Russian-born American film and television actor. He became known internationally for portraying Pavel Chekov, the young navigator of the starship USS Enterprise, in Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), and Star Trek Beyond (2016). His other films include Hearts in Atlantis (2001), Terminator Salvation (2009), Like Crazy (2011), Fright Night (2011), Only Lovers Left Alive (2013), and Green Room (2015). He also voiced Clumsy Smurf in The Smurfs animated films and Jim Lake Jr. in Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia. Yelchin died on June 19, 2016, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 27, after an accident involving his vehicle.

Early Life and Family

Anton Yelchin was born on March 11, 1989, in Leningrad, then part of the Soviet Union and now known as Saint Petersburg, Russia.

His parents, Viktor Yelchin and Irina Korina, were professional figure skaters. The family was of Russian Jewish descent.

In September 1989, when Anton was approximately six months old, his parents emigrated from the Soviet Union to the United States. The family settled in Los Angeles, California.

The decision to leave the Soviet Union was made during a period of political uncertainty and antisemitism. His parents subsequently worked as figure-skating coaches in the United States.

Although both parents had professional backgrounds in figure skating, Anton did not pursue a competitive skating career. He became interested in acting and filmmaking during childhood.

Acting Education and Early Interests

Anton Yelchin grew up in Los Angeles and began attending acting classes at a young age.

His parents introduced him to films by directors including Martin Scorsese, Federico Fellini, and Stanley Kubrick. He developed an interest in cinema, photography, and music.

He began auditioning for commercials and television productions while still attending school.

In 2000, he appeared in an episode of the medical drama ER and began receiving minor film roles.

His early cinema appearances included A Man Is Mostly Water (2000), Delivering Milo (2001), and Along Came a Spider (2001).

During the same period, he also learned to play guitar. Music and photography remained personal interests throughout his life.

Hearts in Atlantis and His First Award

In 2001, Anton Yelchin starred alongside Anthony Hopkins in Hearts in Atlantis, directed by Scott Hicks.

The film was adapted from a story by Stephen King. Yelchin portrayed Bobby Garfield, an eleven-year-old boy who develops a friendship with a mysterious older man named Ted Brautigan, played by Anthony Hopkins.

The film also featured Hope Davis and Mika Boorem.

Yelchin's performance earned him the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film by a Leading Young Actor in 2002.

The role was one of his earliest leading performances in cinema.

Television Roles and the Taken Miniseries

In 2002, Anton Yelchin appeared in Taken, a science-fiction television miniseries executive-produced by Steven Spielberg.

The series follows several generations of families affected by encounters with extraterrestrial beings. Yelchin portrayed the young Jacob Clarke.

He also appeared in The Practice and Judging Amy during the early 2000s.

From 2004 to 2006, he played Byrd Huffstodt in the Showtime drama series Huff.

The series starred Hank Azaria as psychiatrist Craig Huffstodt, with Yelchin portraying his teenage son.

Other cast members included Paget Brewster, Oliver Platt, and Blythe Danner.

Yelchin also made guest appearances in Curb Your Enthusiasm, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Criminal Minds.

Independent Films and Charlie Bartlett

Anton Yelchin appeared in several independent films during the mid-2000s.

In 2004, he portrayed Tommy Warshaw in House of D, written and directed by David Duchovny. The film also starred Robin Williams and Téa Leoni.

In 2005, he played Finn Earl in Fierce People, directed by Griffin Dunne. He appeared alongside Diane Lane and Donald Sutherland.

In 2006, he portrayed Zack Mazursky in Alpha Dog, directed by Nick Cassavetes.

The crime drama featured Emile Hirsch, Justin Timberlake, Ben Foster, Bruce Willis, and Sharon Stone.

Yelchin played a teenager who is kidnapped during a dispute involving his older brother and a group of young criminals.

In 2007, he starred in Charlie Bartlett, directed by Jon Poll.

He portrayed Charlie Bartlett, a wealthy teenager who begins offering psychological advice and selling prescription medication to fellow students after transferring to a public high school.

The film also featured Robert Downey Jr., Hope Davis, and Kat Dennings.

Star Trek and the Role of Pavel Chekov

In 2009, Anton Yelchin joined the cast of Star Trek, directed by J. J. Abrams.

He portrayed Pavel Chekov, the young Russian navigator aboard the starship USS Enterprise.

The character had originally been played by Walter Koenig in the Star Trek: The Original Series television program and subsequent feature films.

The 2009 film revisited the early careers of James T. Kirk, Spock, Leonard McCoy, and the other members of the Enterprise crew.

The cast included Chris Pine as James T. Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Karl Urban as Leonard McCoy, Simon Pegg as Montgomery Scott, John Cho as Hikaru Sulu, and Zoe Saldana as Nyota Uhura.

Other performers included Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood, Ben Cross, Winona Ryder, and Leonard Nimoy.

Yelchin portrayed Chekov as a gifted young officer responsible for navigation and technical operations aboard the Enterprise.

The film received the Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Ensemble Cast in 2009, an honor shared by its principal performers.

Yelchin returned as Chekov in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), again directed by J. J. Abrams.

He reprised the role for a third time in Star Trek Beyond (2016), directed by Justin Lin. The film was released after his death and was dedicated to his memory.

Terminator Salvation

In 2009, Anton Yelchin appeared in Terminator Salvation, directed by McG.

He portrayed the younger version of Kyle Reese, a character originally played by Michael Biehn in The Terminator (1984).

The film starred Christian Bale as John Connor and Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright.

The cast also included Bryce Dallas Howard, Helena Bonham Carter, Moon Bloodgood, and Common.

Set in a future devastated by a war between humans and machines, the film follows the resistance against the Skynet artificial intelligence system.

Kyle Reese becomes involved in the resistance while attempting to survive attacks by Terminator machines.

Like Crazy and Fright Night

In 2011, Anton Yelchin starred in Like Crazy, a romantic drama directed by Drake Doremus.

He portrayed Jacob Helm, an American student who develops a relationship with a British student named Anna Gardner, played by Felicity Jones.

The couple's relationship becomes complicated after Anna violates the conditions of her United States visa and is unable to return freely to the country.

The film also featured Jennifer Lawrence.

Like Crazy won the Grand Jury Prize for Dramatic Film at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Yelchin received a Breakthrough Performer Award at the Hamptons International Film Festival for his work in the film.

That same year, he starred in Fright Night, a horror film directed by Craig Gillespie.

The film was a remake of the 1985 film of the same name.

Yelchin portrayed Charley Brewster, a teenager who discovers that his new neighbor, played by Colin Farrell, is a vampire.

The cast also included Toni Collette, David Tennant, Imogen Poots, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

In 2011, Yelchin also appeared in The Beaver, directed by Jodie Foster, alongside Mel Gibson and Jennifer Lawrence. He portrayed Porter Black, the teenage son of the film's central character.

Voice Acting in The Smurfs

Anton Yelchin provided the voice of Clumsy Smurf in The Smurfs (2011), a live-action and animated comedy directed by Raja Gosnell.

The character is known for his clumsiness and frequent accidents.

Yelchin returned to the role in The Smurfs 2 (2013) and also voiced the character in related animated short films.

The Smurfs films featured voice performances by Jonathan Winters, Katy Perry, Alan Cumming, and George Lopez.

Odd Thomas and Only Lovers Left Alive

In 2013, Anton Yelchin starred in Odd Thomas, directed by Stephen Sommers and adapted from the novel by Dean Koontz.

He portrayed Odd Thomas, a young cook who can communicate with the dead and attempts to prevent violent events.

The film also starred Willem Dafoe, Addison Timlin, and Nico Tortorella.

In the same year, Yelchin appeared in Only Lovers Left Alive (Sadece Aşıklar Hayatta Kalır), directed by Jim Jarmusch.

The film starred Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton as vampires who have lived for centuries.

Yelchin played Ian, a young musician who helps Adam, the vampire portrayed by Tom Hiddleston, obtain musical equipment.

Other cast members included Mia Wasikowska and John Hurt.

Independent Cinema and Later Roles

Anton Yelchin continued appearing in independent productions during the final years of his life.

In 5 to 7 (2014), directed by Victor Levin, he played Brian Bloom, a young writer who begins a relationship with an older married woman portrayed by Bérénice Marlohe.

The cast also included Olivia Thirlby, Glenn Close, and Frank Langella.

In 2014, he played Quentin in Rudderless, directed by William H. Macy. The film starred Billy Crudup, Felicity Huffman, and Selena Gomez.

He also appeared in Cymbeline (2014), a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare's play, and Burying the Ex (2014), a horror comedy directed by Joe Dante.

In 2015, he portrayed Rensaleer in Experimenter, directed by Michael Almereyda.

The film examined the psychological experiments conducted by Stanley Milgram, portrayed by Peter Sarsgaard. Winona Ryder played Milgram's wife.

Yelchin also appeared in Broken Horses (2015), directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and The Driftless Area, a romantic mystery film that premiered in 2015.

Green Room

In 2015, Anton Yelchin appeared in Green Room, directed by Jeremy Saulnier. The film received a wider theatrical release in 2016.

Yelchin portrayed Pat, a member of a punk rock band that becomes trapped inside a music venue after witnessing a murder.

The film follows the band members as they attempt to escape from a violent group controlling the building.

Other cast members included Patrick Stewart, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, Joe Cole, and Callum Turner.

Green Room was among Yelchin's final films released during his lifetime.

Music and Photography

Outside acting, Anton Yelchin was interested in music and photography.

He played guitar and participated in a band called The Hammerheads, which performed music combining punk, rock, and blues influences.

He also wrote and recorded original songs. Some of his recordings were later included in the soundtrack of the documentary Love, Antosha.

Yelchin began taking photographs during childhood after developing an interest in the work of director Stanley Kubrick, who had worked as a photographer before becoming a filmmaker.

His photographic subjects included family members, friends, urban environments, and portraits.

His photographs were published in magazines and later exhibited in galleries.

In 2019, a collection of his photography was published under the title In Case of Fire.

Death

Anton Yelchin died on June 19, 2016, in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at the age of 27.

Early that morning, he exited his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee in the driveway of his home.

The vehicle rolled backward down the sloping driveway and pinned him against a brick pillar and a metal security gate.

He was later discovered by friends who had become concerned when he failed to arrive at a scheduled meeting.

The Los Angeles County medical examiner determined that his death was accidental and resulted from blunt traumatic asphyxia.

The vehicle model involved in the accident had been included in a safety recall announced by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in April 2016. The recall concerned electronic gear selectors that could confuse drivers about whether the transmission had been placed in the parking position.

The accident led to renewed public discussion of vehicle safety and the design of electronic transmission selectors.

Yelchin was buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Films Released After His Death

Several productions featuring Anton Yelchin were released after his death.

Star Trek Beyond premiered in July 2016, approximately one month after his death. Yelchin had completed filming his scenes as Pavel Chekov.

In 2016, Porto, directed by Gabe Klinger, premiered at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. Yelchin portrayed Jake Kleeman, a young American living in Portugal who develops a relationship with a French woman played by Lucie Lucas.

In 2017, Thoroughbreds, directed by Cory Finley, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

Yelchin portrayed Tim, a small-time drug dealer who becomes involved in the plans of two wealthy teenagers played by Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor Joy.

He also appeared in Rememory (2017), directed by Mark Palansky, portraying Todd. The film starred Peter Dinklage and Julia Ormond.

Another posthumous release was We Don't Belong Here (2017), in which he portrayed Maxwell Green.

Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia

Anton Yelchin voiced Jim Lake Jr., the main character in Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, an animated fantasy series created by Guillermo del Toro for Netflix.

The series premiered in December 2016, six months after Yelchin's death.

Jim Lake Jr. is a teenager who discovers a hidden world inhabited by trolls and becomes responsible for protecting it.

Yelchin had recorded dialogue for the series before his death. His recordings continued to be used in episodes released between 2016 and 2018.

He was later succeeded in the role by Emile Hirsch.

Love, Antosha Documentary

In 2019, the documentary Love, Antosha was released. Directed by Garret Price, the film examines Anton Yelchin's life, artistic interests, and career.

The documentary includes archival recordings, personal photographs, writings, home videos, and interviews with his parents, friends, and colleagues.

Participants include Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, J. J. Abrams, Anthony Hopkins, Willem Dafoe, and other people who worked with Yelchin.

The film also includes recordings of Yelchin's original music and material from his private photographic collection.

Awards and Nominations

2002 – Young Artist Awards – Best Performance in a Feature Film, Leading Young Actor – Hearts in Atlantis – Winner
2003 – Young Artist Awards – Best Supporting Young Actor in a Television Movie, Miniseries or Special – Taken – Nominee
2009 – Boston Society of Film Critics Awards – Best Ensemble Cast – Star Trek – Shared Award
2011 – Hamptons International Film Festival – Breakthrough Performer – Like Crazy – Winner
2011 – Hollywood Film Awards – Spotlight Award – Like Crazy – Winner
2014 – Chicago International Film Festival – Silver Hugo, Best Actor – Rudderless – Winner
2016 – Austin Film Critics Association – Special Honorary Award – Posthumous Recognition

Films and Television Series

Films

2017 – Thoroughbreds (Tim; Feature Film, Posthumous Release)
2017 – Rememory (Todd; Feature Film, Posthumous Release)
2017 – We Don't Belong Here (Maxwell Green; Feature Film, Posthumous Release)
2016 – Star Trek Beyond / Star Trek Sonsuzluk (Pavel Chekov; Feature Film, Posthumous Release)
2016 – Porto (Jake Kleeman; Feature Film, Posthumous Release)
2016 – Green Room / Dehşet Odası (Pat; Feature Film, Wide Theatrical Release)
2015 – The Driftless Area (Pierre; Feature Film)
2015 – Experimenter (Rensaleer; Feature Film)
2015 – Broken Horses (Jacob Heckum; Feature Film)
2014 – Dying of the Light (Milton Schultz; Feature Film)
2014 – Rudderless (Quentin; Feature Film)
2014 – Cymbeline (Cloten; Feature Film)
2014 – Burying the Ex (Max; Feature Film)
2014 – 5 to 7 (Brian Bloom; Feature Film)
2013 – The Smurfs 2 / Şirinler 2 (Clumsy Smurf; Voice Role, Feature Film)
2013 – Only Lovers Left Alive / Sadece Aşıklar Hayatta Kalır (Ian; Feature Film)
2013 – Odd Thomas (Odd Thomas; Feature Film)
2013 – Star Trek Into Darkness / Star Trek: Bilinmeze Doğru (Pavel Chekov; Feature Film)
2011 – The Smurfs / Şirinler (Clumsy Smurf; Voice Role, Feature Film)
2011 – Like Crazy / Çılgınlar Gibi (Jacob Helm; Feature Film)
2011 – The Beaver / Kukla (Porter Black; Feature Film)
2011 – Fright Night / Korku Gecesi (Charley Brewster; Feature Film)
2010 – You and I (Edward; Feature Film)
2009 – Star Trek / Uzay Yolu (Pavel Chekov; Feature Film)
2009 – Terminator Salvation / Terminatör: Kurtuluş (Kyle Reese; Feature Film)
2008 – New York, I Love You (Boy in the Park; Feature Film)
2008 – Middle of Nowhere (Dorian Spitz; Feature Film)
2007 – Charlie Bartlett / Charlie İş Başında (Charlie Bartlett; Feature Film)
2006 – Alpha Dog / Rehine (Zack Mazursky; Feature Film)
2005 – Fierce People (Finn Earl; Feature Film)
2004 – House of D / Can Dostlar (Tommy Warshaw; Feature Film)
2003 – Delivering Milo / Milo'nun Doğumu (Milo; Feature Film)
2001 – Along Came a Spider / Örümceğin Maskesi (Dimitri Starodubov; Feature Film)
2001 – Hearts in Atlantis / Gizemli Yabancı (Bobby Garfield; Feature Film)
2000 – A Time for Dancing (Jackson Michaels; Feature Film)
2000 – A Man Is Mostly Water (Feature Film)

Television Series

2016–2018 – Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia (Jim Lake Jr.; Voice Role, Animated Series, Posthumous Release)
2015–2016 – SuperMansion (Dudley; Voice Role, Animated Series)
2011 – The Life & Times of Tim (Trent; Voice Role, Animated Series)
2006 – Criminal Minds (Nathan Harris; Television Series)
2006 – Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Keith Tyler; Television Series)
2004–2006 – Huff (Byrd Huffstodt; Television Series)
2004 – Curb Your Enthusiasm (Stewart; Television Series)
2004 – NYPD Blue (Evan Grabber; Television Series)
2004 – Jack (Jack; Television Film)
2003 – Without a Trace (Johnny Atkins; Television Series)
2002 – Taken (Young Jacob Clarke; Television Miniseries)
2002 – The Practice (Justin Langer; Television Series)
2002 – Judging Amy (Davis Bishop; Television Series)
2000 – ER (Robbie Edelstein; Television Series)

Documentary

2019 – Love, Antosha (Subject of Documentary; Archival Footage and Personal Recordings)

Source: Biyografiler.com