Born: 11th March 1989

Died: 19th June 2016 (27 years)

Anton Viktorovich Yelchin was born in Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (now St Petersburg, Russia) and was raised in America from six months. His parents were figure skaters for the Leningrad Ice Ballet in Russia and became ice skating coaches upon their move to America but Anton was not destined to follow in their footsteps, admitting himself that he wasn’t very good. At 18, he studied film at the University of Southern California. He made his acting debut in ER in 2000 and along with his first film the same year.

Before we look at Anton’s Top five I have to say as three of those are his role as Pavel Chekov in the reboot of the Star Trek franchise I will take this alone. Firstly, I have to say that I was tentative about watching them as the cast of the original films are so iconic that it was going to be impossible to recast them but… I had no issues when I saw them. They have built a good cast that play well off each other and Anton Yelchin in the role of Chekov was very good, considering he was, as far as I was concerned an unknown but I guess so was Walter Koenig when he got the part in the original Star Trek series in the 60s. Koenig’s Chekov was probably my favourite character in the original films as I find him quite funny especially as his character developed. Unlike his ‘predecessor’, who has at least two (TV) years of service Yelchin’s Chekov is a promising cadet straight from Starfleet Academy. He is excitable, energetic and ready to prove himself. As the films continue he calms a little but the enthusiasm he has from the start does not disappear, it makes him a joy to watch. He has similarities to Koenig’s Chekov but he is, to all intense and purposes, playing the same character which I liked – a homage if you like. It is such a shame that his untimely death will not see his character develop as he matures. I hope that the production company keep their word that they will not recast for any future films and Pavel Chekov will no longer be part of the U.S.S Enterprise’s crew. I think they said it all when, at the end of the credits for Star Trek Beyond (which was released a month after his death), they put “for Anton” a loving tribute as far as I’m concerned. 

Right now we’ve got that out of the way let’s look at his top five (excluding Star Trek). First we have The Smurfs, here Yelchin is the voice of Clumsy Smurf. Now I’ve always wondered if doing voice work was an easy job, just reading lines sitting in a booth, or a hard job, acting emotionally while reading lines with no one to play off of, either way I think he plays a loveable Clumsy. It helps that his voice is gentle and childlike – ideal for a Smurf! (Yelchin reprised this role in The Smurfs 2 and that is also in his top 5).  In Terminator Salvation he plays Kyle Reese following in the footsteps of Michael Biehn (The Terminator & Terminator 2: Judgement Day) and Jai Courtney (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) for a character that is “the key to the future …to the past” you’d of thought he’d have a bigger role but unfortunately Kyle Reese’s bigger role was in the past five years before Anton was born! What Anton did with the role was strong and it was nice to see him in an action role.  At the age of 12 he starred alongside Morgan Freeman in Along Came a Spider but his part is quite small, he plays the son of the Russian President so ideal for a Russian speaking child as he is. You could say he is the love interest of the film, if you can call a school crush the love interest but has little more to add to this film, personally I think there is a part of his ‘story’ that has been cut that could lead to capture of a kidnapper, either that or I missed a chunk of this film! He voiced the character of Shun Kazama, in Up on Poppy Hill, a lovely film from Studio Ghibli*. Shun is a sixteen year old schoolboy ideal for Anton’s soft tones. And finally we have the remake of Fright Night; unlike the original Charley Brewster, played by William Ragsdale, Anton was already an established actor when he made it. He was 22 when he played the teenager obsessed with his next door neighbour, he has more to get his teeth into than Ragsdale and he plays it very well but sorry Anton, it’s not you it’s me, I just have an affinity for the slightly darker concise 1985 film although you will always be the better Charley Brewster.

There are two films that I could call my favourite Anton Yelchin film. First is Alpha Dogs, which just misses out on his top five. Based on a true story Anton plays Zack Mazursky the fifteen year old brother of Jake who owes a local drug dealer money. Zach just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and is taken hostage. Zach is happy with the situation as he is certain that his brother will pay his ransom. As the story unfolds you start believing along with Zach that everything will turn out fine and you feel for Frankie (portrayed wonderfully by Justin Timberlake) when he is put in the position he is in. Anton plays the role of a fifteen year old so innocently and sympathetically that the ending is definitely one for the tissues.

Hearts in Atlantis, is based on a Stephen King book and stars Anton alongside Sir Anthony Hopkins as well as his young love interest from Along Came a Spider, Mika Boorem. I have to admit that this is a film  I have wanted to see for ages, mainly because it’s based on a King book as well as starring Sir Anthony, but just never got round to. Anton plays the young Bobby Garfield who is being raised by his mother after his father dies. According to his mother, his father was a no good gambler who left them with nothing but loads of debt and piles of unpaid bills. When Ted Brautigan comes to stay in the upstairs flat Bobby finds a man who has time for him and they become friends. This is, what I would class as a typical Stephen King ‘coming of age story’; the young characters grow through their connections with others, personal circumstances and situations. Anton plays Bobbie as a typical boy but you can see within the 100 minute film how he matures into a slightly different child. Anton’s own style and mannerisms are starting to show in this film and you can see the actor he was to become. To have worked with Morgan Freeman and Sir Anthony Hopkins at such a young age not only must have been a great experience but also a wonderful masterclass.

Anton Yelchin died when his jeep rolled down his drive way and pinned him against the security fence and a concrete pillar, cause of death being blunt traumatic asphyxia. He was 27 years old, a promising acting career cut short by a horrific accident.

*Studio Ghibli make some wonderful films, beautiful stories normally with a moral or a twist. Originally Japanese most have been released with an English-language version. You should seek their films out to watch.