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| Anton Yelchin as Chekov |
Anton Yelchin, the bright young actor best known for his appearances as Pavel Chekov in the recent Star Trek films, was killed today after being his by his own car in a freak accident. He was just 27 years old.
Yelchin was found by friends at his home in San Fernando Valley after they grew concerned when he failed to show up to meet them as planned. They found him pinned between a mailbox on his security gate and his car, which appeared to have rolled into him down a steep driveway. He was already dead. The police have said that they do not suspect foul play.
Yelchin had been acting since childhood, when he had a role in ER and made a notable appearance alongside Morgan Freeman in Along Came A Spider. He played the young Kyle Reese in Terminator: Salvation, snagged the lead in the 2011 remake of Fright Night and went on to star in Stephen King adaptation Odd Thomas. His recent work included appearances in Experimenter, Green Room and Only Lovers Left Alive.
In his short career, Yelchin drew praise from fans and critics alike. He was born in Russia and emigrated to the US with his parents, both ballet dancers who became political refugees. Upon getting the role of Chekov, he expressed his delight at getting to play around with his own childhood accent so that he didn't sound like a real Russian at all. His final appearance in the part can be seen in UK cinemas from the 22nd of July.
