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How Anton Yelchin’s Death Changes Star Trek Beyond

By Scott Meslow

At a key moment in Star Trek Beyond , Kirk leads the crew of the USS Enterprise in a toast. "To absent friends," Kirk says, as everyone raises a glass. And then the camera shifts, ever so slightly, to refocus on the man standing behind him: Pavel Chekov, the crew member played by Anton Yelchin, who died at age 27 in a freak automobile accident last month.

Appreciating the man who said "I can do that!"

By Maggie Lange

At least, I thought the camera pivoted to Chekov. In retrospect, I'm almost 100 percent sure it was in my imagination. But for me, watching Star Trek Beyond so soon after Yelchin's sudden death cast his performance—and the film itself—in a different light. It's a resonance that the film's creative team never intended, but it's still there. When the film began, every time Chekov appeared on screen, I felt a little jolt of grief. As it continued, this feeling gradually softened, but it never totally went away.

None of this is to criticize the creative team behind Star Trek Beyond , who have felt the loss of Yelchin as both a colleague and friend, and who have been unfailingly thoughtful and gracious in their tributes to Yelchin during the movie's promotional circuit. But the death of an actor changes the context in which you watch a movie, and for fans of Yelchin's work, Star Trek Beyond will be both a tribute and a fresh source of grief. And sitting in a movie theater, it's hard to reconcile those feelings with what Star Trek Beyond wants to be: a fun, escapist summer popcorn blockbuster.

Star Trek Beyond is hardly the first Hollywood blockbuster to hit theaters under the shadow of a cast member's unexpected death. The Harry Potter franchise recast the role of Dumbledore after the death of Richard Harris. Last year, the final Hunger Games sequel was reworked to minimize the role of Plutarch Heavensbee, the supporting character played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died in February 2014. Earlier this summer, Alice Through the Looking Glass featured the final performance of Alan Rickman, whose unmistakable baritone classed up an otherwise forgettable movie.

Of course, a movie faces a different challenge when a late actor's performance contains echoes of their death. One of the Joker's final lines to Batman in The Dark Knight —"I think you and I are destined to do this forever"—became unintentionally ghoulish after Heath Ledger died. And then, of course, there's Furious 7 —the James Wan-directed installment of a franchise largely defined by Stark Trek Beyond director Justin Lin, who directed installments three, four, five, and six. When Paul Walker died during the production of Furious 7 —in a car crash, no less—the film's producers faced a difficult decision: shut down production, or release a movie with some unsettling parallels to a real-life tragedy? In the end, they concluded that releasing the film was the right decision, and they managed to give Walker's protagonist a relatively graceful exit, using previously shot footage, along with CGI and body doubles, to complete the performance.

Star Trek Beyond is largely constructed as a tribute to another late Star Trek icon: Leonard Nimoy.

But the team behind Star Trek Beyond had a simpler choice to make. Yelchin's performance was finished, and nothing in the film directly recalls the circumstances of his death. In fact, Star Trek Beyond is largely constructed as a tribute to another late Star Trek icon: Leonard Nimoy, who died several months before Beyond entered production.

This timeline enabled screenwriters Simon Pegg and Doug Jung to weave Nimoy's real-life death into the fabric of the film. As Beyond begins, Spock (Zachary Quinto) learns that Ambassador Spock (Nimoy)—his older self from an alternate timeline, as seen in the previous two Star Trek movies—has died. This news sends the younger Spock into a soul-searching grief that informs his entire arc in the movie, as he contemplates leaving both the Federation and his girlfriend, Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana), to spend more time rebuilding his culture with the other surviving Vulcans. The story crescendoes with a brief, poignant nod to Ambassador Spock and the rest of the original cast, offering a final love letter to both the character and Leonard Nimoy.

Star Trek Beyond features one of Yelchin's final performances, which is both the simplest and most complete way to honor his work in the franchise—but his death also hangs over the movie, and the already-announced Star Trek 4 will need to address it. J.J. Abrams has said that the role of Chekov won't be recast, but that it's "too early" to decide how they'll resolve the character’s absence.

As far as I can tell, the only change that was definitively made to Star Trek Beyond in the wake of Yelchin's death happens several minutes after the movie itself has ended. In the middle of the credits, a warm title card appears that was presumably planned a long time ago: "In loving memory of Leonard Nimoy." When those words fade away, they're replaced by a second, simpler dedication: "For Anton."

Chris Pine Reflects On Anton Yelchin’s Secret Illness Filming Star Trek Beyond

Before J.J. Abrams helped to kickstart the Star Wars franchise with The Force Awakens , he had his eye on another intergalactic property. Abrams brought the Star Trek series back to theaters with his trilogy of movies, starring a talented cast and plenty of lens flares. The fate of the potential fourth movie remains unclear , although the Star Trek family suffered a loss with the death of actor Anton Yelchin .

Anton Yelchin played Pavel Chekov in all three Star Trek movies, although the threequel Beyond was released after his unexpected death at the age of 27. The Star Trek cast recently assembled to celebrate the first movie's 10-year anniversary, and Chris Pine spoke to working with Yelchin. It was revealed posthumously that Yelchin suffered from cystic fibrosis, and Pine remembered a scene where he's sure the young actor was silently suffering. As he put it:

While we were shooting [Star Trek Beyond], especially towards the end, I think we could all tell that something wasn’t right with Anton. I don’t think anyone knew that he was battling the illness that he was. We had about a week of doing a pretty intense stunt, like a really grueling, physically demanding stunt. I haven’t actually thought about it until now, but looking back on it, I remember how hard it was for him to get through it. And he never complained. He didn’t use [the disease] to get out of this fight scene, which he could easily have done, obviously.

It looks like Anton Yelchin was determined to shoot all of his scenes in Star Trek Beyond . So this included silently suffering through symptoms of cystic fibrosis while shooting a weeks worth of stunt footage. It's this type of dedication that made his tenure as Pavel Chekov such a fan favorite aspect of the trilogy.

Chris Pine 's comments to THR just continue to highlight the tragedy of Anton Yelchin's unexpected death. The Russian-American actor clearly had a strong work ethic, and was able to juggle his diagnosis and the long grueling hours of working on a film set. Besides not asking for assistance, Yelchin didn't even share his experience with co-stars like Pine.

Related: Zoe Saldana Recalls Anton Yelchin Being ‘Nervous’ To Do Star Trek Justice

Anton Yelchin's life is being explored through the new documentary Love, Antosha . The doc explores the actor's life and death, with both Chris Pine and J.J. Abrams among the cast who speak to their experiences with Yelchin. You can check the trailer for Love, Antosha below.

Anton Yelchin died on June 19th, 2016 at the age of 27. He was involved in a freak motor vehicle accident in his own driveway, before Star Trek Beyond made it way to theaters. It's particularly tragic that Yelchin didn't get to see the scene that Chris Pine described above, considering the hard work involved.

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Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more. 

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Kristen Stewart's New Vampire Movie Sounds Like The Anti-Twilight We Need In 2024

This shocking 33-year old denzel washington thriller is also a secret die hard spinoff, how did this 27-year-old thriller get declared the best movie ever by rotten tomatoes.

• Despite Star Trek: Beyond leaving room for further adventures, Star Trek 4 has yet to be released after 7 years.
• Star Trek Beyond introduced the USS Enterprise-A as the new starship for Kirk and his crew.
• The delays in creating a sequel to Star Trek Beyond may be due to pay disputes and the desire to compete with Marvel blockbusters.

Despite Star Trek: Beyond 's ending leaving the doors open for the further adventures of Chris Pine's Kelvin Timeline crew, it's now seven years after the movie's release, and Star Trek 4 is yet to surface. Star Trek Beyond , the third entry in the J.J. Abrams' produced Star Trek movies, stranded the USS Enterprise crew on the planet Altamid. Discovering an abandoned Starfleet vessel from a century earlier, it's revealed that Krall and his army are the mutated crew of the USS Franklin, and Krall has been plotting his revenge against the Federation ever since crashing on Altamid decades ago.

While Kirk and Spock are considering their futures in Star Trek Beyond , there was never any indication that this was intended to be the final Kelvin Timeline movie. Captain Kirk has lost faith in his five-year mission and has applied to become Vice Admiral of the revolutionary new starbase, the Yorktown. Meanwhile, the death of Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) has forced his younger self to consider leaving Starfleet and continuing Spock's diplomatic work on New Vulcan. By the end of Star Trek Beyond , Kirk and Spock realized they belonged aboard the USS Enterprise together and prepared to continue their five-year mission. Seven years later, audiences are yet to see that mission play out on the big screen.

Star Trek Beyond's Ending & How Kirk Beat Krall Explained

Krall had been tracking the USS Enterprise since it took possession of an ancient artifact that was the final component needed to complete the construction of the Abronath, a devastating ancient bioweapon. With the Abronath in his possession, Krall and his swarm set off for the Yorktown to wipe out its inhabitants. Giving chase in the USS Franklin, Kirk, and the crew first had to weaken Krall's swarm. Spock and Doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Karl Urban) beamed aboard one of the swarm ships to throw off their formation, allowing the Franklin to destroy the ships by using "Sabotage" Kirk's favorite Beastie Boys song as a discordant and disruptive noise.

With the Swarm destroyed, Kirk discovered the truth about Krall, that he was actually the embittered war veteran Captain Balthazar Edison. Krall had survived the destruction of the Swarm and still intended to use the Abronath by unleashing it into Yorktown's atmospheric regulator to wipe out all life aboard the space station. Kirk and Krall fought in the central atmospheric regulator, with the Enterprise Captain attempting to prevent Krall from unleashing the weapon. With help from Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott (Simon Pegg), Kirk was able to override the regulator and eject Krall, and the Abronath into the vacuum of space.

Star Trek Beyond Launched The USS Enterprise-A

With the original USS Enterprise destroyed in the spectacular first act of Star Trek Beyond , Kirk needed a new ship after saving Yorktown. The USS Enterprise-A is teased by Commodore Paris (Shohreh Aghdashloo) when she says that the only other ship capable of navigating the nebula near Altamid isn't near completion. With the Enterprise destroyed on Altamid, this new starship was presumably hastily renamed so that the Federation could retain its flagship.

As the Enterprise crew gathered to celebrate Captain Kirk's birthday at the end of Star Trek Beyond , they looked out admiringly at their new starship - the USS Enterprise-A. The construction of the new starship appeared to signal the ongoing adventures of Kirk and the crew. However, to date, the new Enterprise hasn't been put through its paces on the big screen, as Star Trek 4 is perennially delayed by multiple behind-the-scenes issues.

Why Kirk Is Not Vice Admiral & Enterprise Crew Changes

Kirk's heroic efforts guaranteed him the position of Vice Admiral aboard the Yorktown, however, he ultimately declined it. In a callback to the advice his Prime Universe counterpart once gave Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), he decided that there's no fun in becoming a deskbound Admiral. Instead, he was revitalized by his experiences on Altamid and realized that it was an adventure and the chance to " fly" that he really wanted, not promotion. Spock, meanwhile, discovered an old photo of the Prime Universe Enterprise crew, considerably older than their Kelvin Timeline counterparts. Realizing that he had made friends for life, he decided not to leave Starfleet for New Vulcan. Touchingly, Kirk and Spock never voice their doubts to each other, an unspoken acknowledgment of their importance to each other.

Some Enterprise crew members were tragically killed during the fight with Krall, including Ensign Syl (Melissa Roxburgh) who hid the artifact for Kirk. However, Star Trek Beyond teases a potential addition to J.J. Abrams' Star Trek cast in the form of Jaylah. Kirk got her fast-tracked into Starfleet Academy, suggesting that she may have returned as Ensign Jaylah in Star Trek 4 . It's hard to tell if the production problems with Star Trek 4 will make Jaylah's return more, or less, likely.

Star Trek Beyond Lost Leonard Nimoy & Anton Yelchin

Leonard Nimoy's death in 2015 is acknowledged by the passing of Ambassador Spock in Star Trek Beyond . Even in death, Nimoy's Spock influenced the Kelvin Timeline version, as his personal effects revealed the lifelong friendships that his younger self had formed. It was a touching tribute to the legacy of Leonard Nimoy, that also acknowledged Star Trek 's 50th anniversary when Star Trek Beyond was released in 2016.

Tragically, Anton Yelchin was killed in a freak motoring accident at his home a month before Star Trek Beyond 's theatrical release. It's for this reason that the movie ends with a dedication to Anton Yelchin, and Star Trek Beyond is a wonderful tribute to his portrayal of Ensign Pavel Chekov. Yelchin gets some great action sequences and comedy moments which he always excelled at as Chekov. Another tribute to Anton Yelchin was recently made with Star Trek: Picard 's President Anton Chekov (Walter Koenig).

Why Star Trek Beyond Hasn't Had A Sequel In 7+ Years

There have been multiple attempts to realize Star Trek 4 since 2016, with one possible version set to bring back Chris Hemsworth as Lt. George Kirk in a time travel movie. Another Star Trek 4 script, co-written by Quentin Tarantino was due to be a cinematic adaptation of the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "A Piece of the Action", involving a planet whose society was inspired by 1920s Chicago gangsters. For whatever reason, neither of these projects got off the ground, though it's been suggested that pay disputes put paid to the "Two Kirks" movie idea.

Chris Pine's Star Trek 4 plan hints as to why it's taken so long for a Star Trek Beyond sequel to surface. His reference to Paramount wanting Star Trek to compete with the big blockbusters of Marvel Studios is particularly telling. Although far from being a flop, Star Trek Beyond didn't perform as strongly at the box office as expected. Clearly, the various scripts drafted for Star Trek 4 haven't inspired much hope for big box office returns in the eyes of Paramount's studio heads. Ironically, the delays in getting a workable script that can compete with the Marvel Cinematic Universe led to director Matt Shakman departing the project for Marvel 's Fantastic Four .

Prior to the ongoing industrial action in Hollywood, a script was being written by Lindsey Beer and Geneva Robertson-Dworet, with J.J. Abrams calling it the closest to 2009's Star Trek in terms of quality of story. The ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes will have delayed work on Star Trek 4 even further. While Paramount Studios long ago abandoned their plan to have Star Trek 4 released in 2023, it's no longer clear exactly when audiences can expect the movie to hit theaters.

Star Trek Beyond Influenced Star Trek On Paramount Plus

While Star Trek as a movie franchise appears to be in a state of flux, the streaming era has allowed it to make a hugely successful return to TV. However, the DNA of J.J. Abrams' Kelvin Timeline movies is shared by these new Star Trek TV shows. It's telling that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is focusing on younger versions of Spock, Uhura, and Kirk, who were arguably the main trio in the first of Abrams' Trek movies. Also, Captain Pike's Enterprise is as sleek and cinematic as the one seen in the Star Trek movies.

Similarly, the uniforms worn by the crew in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds reflect the movie costumes worn by Chris Pine and the cast. While Strange New Worlds is episodic, shows like Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Discovery have told huge movie-style stories across whole seasons. If Star Trek Beyond is truly the end for Star Trek 's Kelvin Timeline, its legacy will live on in the franchise's TV renaissance, truly made possible by the success of the movies that proved there was still an appetite for Gene Roddenberry's vision.

• Star Trek Beyond (2016)

Star Trek Beyond: an unpublished interview with Anton Yelchin

While creatively Star Trek Beyond was perhaps the most satisfying entry in the rebooted film series, its release was also in some ways overshadowed by the tragic death of Anton Yelchin , who had portrayed Pavel Chekov.

By the age of 27, Yelchin had already amassed a variety of film credits, including Hearts In Atlantis , Alpha Dog , Fierce People , Charlie Bartlett , Middle Of Nowhere , Terminator Salvation , the remake of Fright Night , and Like Crazy . He portrayed Chekov in Star Trek , Star Trek Into Darkness and, of course, Star Trek Beyond . He will next be represented by the Guillermo del Toro TV series Trollhunters , for which he provided the voice of Jim.

In Star Trek Beyond , the starship Enterprise is destroyed by an enemy hellbent on vengeance against Starfleet. Scattered on an alien world, the crew must come together to not only save themselves, but the galaxy as a whole.

The following unpublished interview with Anton Yelchin was conducted on the afternoon of Thursday 16 June of 2016 just three days before his death.

At the Star Trek fan event back in May, Zachary Quinto pointed out that it’s been about ten years since you guys first went before the cameras on Trek . Is that strange at all for you to consider that it’s been that long already?

Yes, actually, it has almost been a decade. You see everyone between the films a little bit, but then it's wild to think that there's a feature every three or four years. It's such an odd thing, you know? Then go back to it and get right back into the same thing. It's a very fascinating and odd experience. But it’s a great feeling. I love it, actually, because you grow in the interim. Let's not say grow, but you definitely evolve and change and transform in the interim, and then seeing what you can bring to it anew is really interesting. You know, what else you can bring to these characters and what else you can do and new moments you can find. We started borrowing as much from the original performance ... At least for me, I borrow as much from Walter Koenig as myself in this weird way. Not to sound like a complete egotist, it's just that I end up going, "Okay, that's something that I was doing. I should do that again." Stuff like that. It's an odd thing.

But the more you play it, doesn’t it become much more your take?

Yes, but I always love borrowing, because I love Walter Koenig's performance. I think it's wonderful and I feel grateful that there's such a wealth of little moments and things that he created, and my favorite thing is incorporating that into my work. It's interesting to revisit that each time.

You brought up a good point about coming back having changed and grown. Can you track how both you and Chekov have changed over the years?

In 2009, I literally had just graduated high school, so it was kind of odd to think about that. Literally I would've been going to University that year, but we did the first Trek . In terms of Chekov, I think in this film, specifically because they're faced with the destruction of the Enterprise, it adds a more dire quality. Existential crisis is a little strong, but it has this very intense existential element of trying to figure out exactly what his place is in this space and world in a way that he hasn't had to before. I think part of it was the themes of the film that there is a complacency that sets in once you've been doing it for awhile, and that's really stripped from everyone on the crew. Chekov has to figure out, "Why am I doing this? What exactly am I doing? What can I bring to it? What do I value most?" I remember making the most notes about that for myself, just moments where you're discovering what it is he values the most in all of this. I assume that to be the people, the crew, each other.

Does that reflect on you at all in terms of what you value the most from making these movies with this group of actors?

Here's the thing: I think the most appropriate way to look at things for me is to have the experiences. It sounds cheesy, but it is true, because every film is such a gamble. Who knows what's going to happen with any film, you know? But you do get this time shared with the people you're there with. You do get to experience that and be together and do things together and study one another. That's a huge part of making these films.

The other part is, of course, being in these huge, fun movies that have this incredible legacy that they're a part of. Especially given it's the fiftieth anniversary, I’m quite flattered and honored to be a part of it, but the other part is on a much smaller scale, just being a part of this group and getting to know everyone. Not just the actors and the crew and seeing familiar faces, but seeing new faces as well. It's really kind of what makes every film special in this weird way.

After the destruction of the Enterprise, the characters pair up in different ways and you end up spending more time with Chris Pine's Kirk in this movie than you have in the other two. What is that pairing like?

I had a lot of fun with it, because Kirk is all balls and all heart and action and intellect. It's paired with activity. He acts. I think Chekov is more cerebral and he is a technician. It was fun to play off that sort of a relationship, but also the moving part of the relationship is how much tremendous respect Chekov has for Kirk, and how Kirk really shows Chekov what it means to be a part of his team and what he values most. Kirk really does that, I think, for the characters. They're always talking about, "Our captain will do this and that." That comes from the original series. Their belief in their captain allows them to believe in themselves and in the enterprise — not their ship, but what they're doing.

Their five-year mission, basically.

Yes, exactly. That character of Captain Kirk is the one that teaches them about themselves and what they're doing and why they want to be doing it and what's important about it. I think to be that close to that character, that's always a subliminal thing. Why is Chekov doing this? It's looking at Kirk that makes him realize that.

Because you're on camera with him much more, you get to play colors of the character that you haven't had a chance to play before.

Totally. Chris is a really funny guy, so it's comedic things, too, that we both got a kick out of.

Obviously this was the first one that Justin Lin directed. What do you think he brings to the mix that contrasts with what JJ Abrams brought?

From what I understand, Justin Lin has been a lifelong Trekkie and has always loved the original series and the films. As an actor, what I look for in directors is that there's a very acute sense of what you're trying to accomplish and what you would like to accomplish; the emotional beats or moments for the characters to indulge in. I just really appreciate that. That's what you're going by. All I have to go by is discovering moments and ideas and things like that. I found that Justin is really sensitive to all of that, and I really appreciated that about him and about working with him.

The first two trailers got very different reactions. Which do you think more closely represents the film?

I'd have to say the second one. I find that both sides of the coin are satisfied by this picture. I think that there are excellent moments of spectacle and action and the film is fun and the action is incredibly well executed. There's a lot for anyone who doesn't give a shit about Trek , just to be frank, to enjoy. You know what I mean? That being said, I think Simon Pegg and Doug Jung worked really hard to infuse this film with qualities from the series in terms of the characters, the stakes that various characters have to deal with, the emotional and intellectual content of the film, and specifically the relationships between the crew members. That is really, aside from the general theme of unity and connection between civilization, what the series thrives on, the relationships of these characters that you love. You love their little idiosyncrasies and their connections, their moments of joy and loss. I’d say that was really great about the original show, and I think Doug and Simon, and Simon on set, worked really hard to find those moments in every scene.

The film is very much something for that fan base, the dedicated fan base that Star Trek is so fortunate to have. It's the essence that's there, and at the same time part of science fiction is spectacle. It is the way that the fiction element is executed. Justin executes that really well and I think that fiction element also allows this film to have a much broader, bigger audience.

The original Star Trek was a perfect prism in which to look at humanity. As these films get bigger and have action and spectacle, is there still the opportunity to provide that prism of exploring where we are as a society, where we are as a people?

The unfortunate thing is that Gene Roddenberry's hope for the future still seems a hope we have for the future, and not at the present moment. If anything, there's probably more disunity and more confusion as a result of the Cold War ending. I think that's what Gene Roddenberry was contending with was the Cold War, and it was two super powers vying for the world in a way, and all of these incarnations in various continents of that fight. Now we live in this post-colonial, post-Cold War world where all you see is disunity. Look at what happened this weekend in Orlando [the mass shooting at the Pulse club in Orlando, Florida]. It's terrifying and devastating. We live in a world that is constantly trying to seemingly implode and find as many reasons not to see eye to eye as possible.

Until we resolve that — and who knows when that will be or how to do that? — Gene Roddenberry's message will always be relevant, and it will always be important. It’s about discovering what connects people and how to connect and not how to destroy one another, but how to try and figure out how to live together. I think that's an ancient quest that, given socio-economics and socio-politics, has gotten more and more convoluted. We seem to be infinitely unified in our technology and infinitely disparate in our ability to see eye to eye.

Star Trek Beyond will be released on Blu-ray 1 November in the US, and 21 November in the UK

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Published Jun 19, 2016

Hollywood Remembers Anton Yelchin

The tributes continue to pour in for Anton Yelchin, Star Trek 's current Chekov, who died in the early morning of June 19, at the age of 27. As reported, the actor was killed, in a freak accident, at home by his own car. He will be seen one last time as Chekov in Star Trek Beyond , due out next month.

J.J. Abrams sent Entertainment Weekly a message on behalf of the Beyond cast and crew. It reads:

"Anton was our little brother. But only by years; he was as wise and clever and intellectually curious as anyone we ever knew. His laugh was preposterous -- you couldn't hear it and not laugh yourself. He was funny, edgy, wild and talented beyond measure. His focus and dedication was admirable, as was his love of family, friends, literature and music.

We loved Anton, at work or at  play. We are all shocked and numb and devastated by the world's loss of an extraordinary young man.

To his family, we send our love during this impossible time.

We will miss Anton forever.

His Star Trek family.

Our Star Trek family has lost one of its own. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. -- George Takei

She is beyond devastated and first and foremost her heart and prayers are with the Yelchin family during this time -- Zoe Saldana's rep told E! News

Paramount Pictures released the following statement: "All of us at Paramount join the world in mourning the untimely passing of Anton Yelchin. As a member of the Star Trek family, he was beloved by so many and he will missed by all. We share our deepest condolences with his mother, father and family."

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Tributes pour in for late 'Star Trek' actor Anton Yelchin

Actor Anton Yelchin, best known for his role as Ensign Pavel Chekov in the rebooted Star Trek movie series, has died in what is being labelled a "freak accident" involving his own car.

Los Angeles police found the actor in his driveway at around 1am PST on Sunday morning. The cause of death has been declared accidental by authorities, with LAPD spokesperson Jenny Houser telling The Hollywood Reporter : "It appears he momentarily exited his car and it rolled backward, causing trauma that led to his death."

Born in what is now Saint Petersburg, Russia on 11 March 1989, Yelchin's parents Irina and Viktor – both figure skaters who had qualified for the 1972 Olympics but were prevented from competing by the former Soviet regime – moved the family to the USA when Anton was six months old.

Anton Yelchin's movie debut came in 2000's independent film A Man is Mostly Water . He also appeared on television in series such as E.R., Hearts in Atlantis, and Huff . His big screen career took off in 2009 when he appeared as Kyle Reese in Terminator: Salvation and the JJ Abrams-directed Star Trek .

Yelchin would go on to resume the role of Chekov in 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness in its impending sequel, Star Trek Beyond , and appear in numerous movies including 2011's Fright Night remake, Odd Thomas , and Only Lovers Left Alive . He also lent his voice to animated feature The Pirates! and the English language dub of Studio Ghibli's From Up on Poppy Hill .

Tributes to the young actor have flooded in, praising his charm and charisma, and mourning the loss of such a talent so young.

Trek director and producer JJ Abrams tweeted a note reading "Anton - you were brilliant. You were kind. You were funny as hell, and supremely talented. And you weren't here nearly long enough. Missing you, JJ."

In a further statement to Entertainment Weekly , Abrams said "Anton was our little brother. But only by years; he was as wise and clever and intellectually curious as anyone we ever knew. His laugh was preposterous – you couldn’t hear it and not laugh yourself. He was funny, edgy, wild and talented beyond measure. His focus and dedication was admirable, as was his love of family, friends, literature and music."

"We loved Anton, at work or at play. We are all shocked and numb and devastated by the world’s loss of an extraordinary young man. To his family, we send you our love during this impossible time. We will miss Anton forever."

Paramount Pictures, the studio behind the Star Trek film series, also released a statement. It said: "All of us at Paramount join the world in mourning the untimely passing of Anton Yelchin. As a member of the Star Trek family, he was beloved by so many and he will missed by all. We share our deepest condolences with his mother, father and family."

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Yelchin's Star Trek cast mates also paid tribute. John Cho, who plays Sulu, said "I loved Anton Yelchin so much. He was a true artist - curious, beautiful, courageous. He was a great pal and a great son. I'm in ruins," and "Please send your love to Anton's family right now. They need it."

Zoe Saldana - Lt Uhura - said "Devastated by our friend's loss. We are mourning his passing and celebrating the beautiful spirit that he was. #RIPAnton".

Justin Lin, director of Star Trek Beyond added "Still in shock. Rest in peace, Anton. Your passion and enthusiasm will live on with everyone that had the pleasure of knowing you."

Dozens of other Trek cast and crew, both past and present, have also paid their respects to Yelchin, though it was perhaps a fan tribute to the late actor that most poignantly hits home .

Yelchin will be posthumously seen in Star Trek Beyond , released 22 July, 2016's Porto and We Don't Belong Here , and 2017's Thoroughbred .

This article was originally published by WIRED UK

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Anton Yelchin dead: Remembering his funny, frantic Star Trek role

“Russian whiz kid.” That’s what they call Chekov in 2009’s Star Trek — and that’s an accurate description of the actor who played Chekov, too. Anton Yelchin was born in St. Petersburg when it was still Leningrad; his family moved to the United States when emigrating from Russia still counted as “fleeing the Iron Curtain.” The actor wasn’t yet 20 when he was cast as the Enterprise ‘s navigator in J.J. Abrams’ reboot, but he was the most experienced movie star in the cast: 12-year-old Yelchin had the title role in 2001’s pregnancy fairy tale Delivering Milo , and grew through adolescence acting with legends like Anthony Hopkins and Robin Williams in Hearts in Atlantis and House of D .

By summer 2009, Yelchin had already learned to shuttle between low-budget independent fare and major Hollywood productions. Two weeks after Star Trek hit theaters, Yelchin was playing another iconic franchise role as Kyle Reese in Terminator: Salvation . A couple years later, he gave a fine performance in the cultishly adored romance Like Crazy . Earlier this year, Yelchin gave a devastatingly realistic everydude-caught-in-a-bad-situation performance in Green Room , a bleak and terse thriller several million tonal miles away from the bright space-pop of the new Star Trek films.

Next month’s Star Trek Beyond isn’t the last film Yelchin worked on before his impossibly sad and untimely death this weekend . But the film will now stand as a tribute to the late actor. What makes Yelchin’s Chekov so interesting is that, in some respects, the role was an outlier for the actor. Though baby-faced well into his mid-20s, Yelchin’s hoarse voice and melancholy bearing were often deployed to play roles that were at once precocious and world-weary.

Pavel Chekov was created by Walter Koenig, a second-generation child of Russian immigrants. Chekov-on-the- Enterprise was a timely and hopeful vision — Russians and Americans working together! — but the story goes that Roddenberry wanted Koenig to ham up the accent. (“Nuclear wessels .”) By the time Yelchin took over as Chekov, the topical resonance was long gone – but you could feel how he thrilled to the part’s energy, and the comedic potential of combing the “Chekov accent.”

There’s a moment in Star Trek Into Darkness which shows off Yelchin’s talent as a comedic performer. Captain Kirk has just fired his Chief of Engineering – and he promotes Chekov, the ship’s official know-everything prodigy. Koenig’s Chekov was often used as an all-purpose support staff – he’s variously a second-in-command executive officer, a science officer , and a medical officer in the original films – and the new films had a lot of fun with the notion that Yelchin’s Chekov could do pretty much anything, if he had the chance.

So Kirk makes his navigator into an engineer, which requires a change of outfit. “Put on a red shirt,” the Captain says – a line built for a belly laugh from the Trek fandom, who know that “redshirt” is a synonym for “nothing good coming your way.” The camera lingers on Yelchin, staring off into the distance – a look that is knowing without being remotely sardonic, a committed clownish moment worthy of a silent comedian – before he mutters, in that delirious accent, “Aye, kep–tin.”

It’s become a depressingly regular experience in the summer blockbuster months: To see a big-budget fantasy spectacle suddenly rendered as a monument to a performer gone too soon. Yelchin’s career was about so much more than Star Trek , but Beyond will now be a final moment for the mainstream moviegoing public to see one of the true young talents of his generation. Yelchin gave richer performances, but there’s a rare magic to his Chekov, to the way Yelchin seems to be playing human flop sweat. In his big showcase scene in the 2009 Trek , Chekov races from the bridge to the transporter room, all-but-leaving a Yelchin-shaped hole in the walls of the ship. “I can do that! I can do that!” he screams. “Move, move, move!”

That was Yelchin: The kinetic energy, the forward motion, the feeling that he really could do everything, if he only got the chance.

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Appreciation: Anton Yelchin’s talent went far beyond ‘Star Trek’

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Anton Yelchin made a brilliant impression from the beginning.

One of his earliest films was Scott Hicks’ 2001 drama “Hearts in Atlantis,” in which he played Bobby, an 11-year-old boy who spends a fateful 1960 summer with a mysterious older neighbor who introduces him to a world of grown-up wisdom and (this being a Stephen King adaptation) eerie psychic phenomena. The film could be at times stickily sentimental, at times stirringly so, but Yelchin was a natural — evincing a warm, captivating chemistry with his veteran co-star Anthony Hopkins, and charmingly carrying a memorable scene on a Ferris wheel, where Bobby kisses a girl for the first time.

I’m loath to quote myself, but I’ll make an exception for “Hearts in Atlantis,” which was one of the first movies I wrote about as a college film reviewer for USC’s Daily Trojan, and from which I singled out Yelchin’s performance as “wonderfully engaging.” That was fairly stock praise coming from someone rather less skilled at his new craft than Yelchin was, but it remains an entirely accurate description of his effect on audiences over the course of his tragically shortened career.

Years after “Hearts in Atlantis,” Yelchin had another major film role in Nick Cassavetes’ “Alpha Dog,” a feverish true-crime saga inspired by the misdeeds of the notorious L.A. drug dealer Jesse James Hollywood, presently serving time for the 2000 kidnapping and murder of 15-year-old Nicholas Markowitz. Yelchin played a fictional version of Markowitz named Zack, and against the film’s exuberantly sordid wasted-youth backdrop, he struck a wrenching chord of innocence and humanity — a good kid along for the ride, sadly unaware of what was about to happen to him until it was far too late.

That air of boyish naiveté never fully left Yelchin, though it was a measure of his versatility that he so adeptly turned it to his advantage — and at times subverted it — on-screen. The character for whom he will be remembered most broadly is, of course, Pavel Chekov in the rebooted “Star Trek” franchise. That Yelchin was himself Russian by birth could be guessed from Chekov’s impeccable accent, though genetics alone couldn’t account for the spirited intelligence the actor invested in this excitable space prodigy, racing frantically down corridors to beam his colleagues up at the last minute.

It wasn’t the only time Yelchin would embody a fresh new face in a famous Hollywood franchise. If you remember “Terminator Salvation,” you probably remember him as an unusually intense update of Kyle Reese, the future father of John Connor and a resurgent new wave of humanity. And if you didn’t immediately recognize Yelchin as the accident-prone Clumsy Smurf in the two live-action movies adapted from that cartoon franchise, his identity became clear not long after he opened his computer-generated mouth.

But for those who haven’t seen much of Yelchin beyond the multiplex, he leaves behind a treasure trove of vivid character work. He and Felicity Jones made a winsome couple navigating the pitfalls of first love in Drake Doremus’ heartfelt 2011 Sundance Film Festival prizewinner, “Like Crazy.” Before that, he and Robert Downey Jr. formed a combustible comedic duo in the little-seen “Charlie Bartlett,” which also reunited him on-screen with his “Hearts in Atlantis” mom, Hope Davis, this time in a happier, loopier mother-son pairing. And in Jim Jarmusch’s marvelous “Only Lovers Left Alive,” Yelchin had a brief but memorable role as a rock ’n’ roller named Ian, who meets an untimely end at the fangs of a thirsty female vampire (Mia Wasikowska). (He’s immortalized in perhaps the film’s funniest line: “You drank Ian.”)

Yelchin played the title role in “Charlie Bartlett,” which won Best Feauture Film at Boulder International Film Festival in 2008. Yelchin starred alongside Robert Downey Jr. as a wealthy yet troubled high-schooler.

Yelchin is pictured with co-stars Chris Pine, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban and John Cho in his best-known role playing Chekhov in the 2009 Star Trek reboot.

Very few moviegoers saw “Dying of the Light” (2014), Paul Schrader’s fascinating wreck of a thriller starring Nicolas Cage as a rogue CIA operative. But none of the headaches and compromises of that picture’s embattled production history were enough to quell the warmth and pluck of Yelchin’s performance as Cage’s loyal protégé, Milton, in which the actor did something with the lower register of his voice that I’d never heard before: Raspy and loquacious, he suddenly seemed a very old man in a very young body, an agency functionary imbued with a surfeit of soul.

Yelchin leaves behind projects in various stages of completion, including “Star Trek Beyond” (due out on July 22); the Jarmusch-produced, Portugal-set romance “Porto”; and Guillermo del Toro’s animated Netflix series “Trollhunters.” The last time I saw him on-screen — and incidentally, in person — was in April, at the L.A. premiere of Jeremy Saulnier’s spectacularly grisly backwoods horror-thriller “Green Room.” So good at playing oddballs and misfits of every stripe, Yelchin was thoroughly in his element as Pat, a bassist in a scrappy punk band that finds itself besieged by murderous neo-Nazis in rural Oregon.

Backed into a corner with machete-wielding skinheads clawing at the door, Pat is the recipient of one of the film’s first major acts of brutality (he nearly loses an arm) and also its signature moment of revelation. Flashing back to a childhood experience playing paintball and being similarly on the ropes, he realizes that in confronting his attackers, nothing less than all-out anarchy — the very spirit of the art that he knows and loves — will ensure his survival.

That defiant rage-against-the-machine sensibility wasn’t all that Anton Yelchin and his screen work represented, but it is hardly the worst way to remember him: Possessed of a brilliant punk sensibility in a world that too often prefers American idols, he was a singular voice silenced terribly soon.

Hollywood reacts to death of ‘Star Trek’ star Anton Yelchin

From the Archives: When Anton Yelchin met Anthony Hopkins: An Oscar winner becomes a mentor to a 12-year-old actor

From the Archives: Anton Yelchin is ready to launch; Never heard of him? After ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Terminator Salvation,’ that should change

From the Archives: Anton Yelchin’s work has been praised as he plays the crafty teen in ‘Charlie Bartlett’

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'Star Trek Beyond' Pays Tribute To Anton Yelchin

When production began on Stark Trek Beyond , the cast and crew knew that it would be without one of their most important founding members. Leonard Nimoy, the original Spock who reprised his role in the Star Trek reboot and its sequel, died in 2015 before shooting began, and screenwriters Simon Pegg and Doug Jung made sure to pay tribute to Spoke Prime (as he was known in the reboot films) in Star Trek Beyond . What they could not have anticipated was losing another member of their beloved crew, though, yet they did, and the Anton Yelchin tribute in Star Trek Beyond will bring everyone to tears. Yelchin, aka Chekov of the Starship Enterprise, died tragically in June , barely a month before Beyond 's release, and while obviously, the actor's death is not touched upon in the movie, filmmakers do pay tribute to the actor with a heart-wrenching dedication.

In a truly classy tribute, Beyond addresses the passings of both Nimoy and Yelchin with two, simple, black title cards before the end credits scroll. "In loving memory of Leonard Nimoy," reads the first. And the second says simply, "For Anton." Both cards appear only briefly on the screen, but the decision by filmmakers to have them appear without music — the famous original Star Trek theme stops before the first title card — makes the tributes all the more poignant.

The additional title card wasn't the only change made to the film in order to pay tribute to Yelchin. According to Pegg, director Justin Lin re-edited the final scene ( spoiler alert ) to add in a subtle tribute. "Justin went back and edited the final moment so that when Kirk says, 'To absent friends,' it cuts to Anton, which is really moving," Pegg said in an interview with The Daily Beast.

The heartbreaking tribute continues off screen as the cast of Star Trek Beyond continues their international press tour without Yelchin. In his interview with The Daily Beast, Pegg revealed that doing promotion for the film and seeing it on-screen has aided the actors in dealing with their castmate's death. "It's helped, it really has helped," Pegg said. "When I watched the movie... when I saw him, it made me happy. It didn't make me sad. It was quite upsetting at times, but generally speaking, it was Anton — and he'll be there forever."

Star Trek Beyond is bound to cheer fans mourning Yelchin's death as well. Despite his tragic passing, the actor appears in the film as eager, happy, and endearing as ever. It's a fitting tribute to both Yelchin and his character.

Images: Paramount Pictures (2)

'Star Trek Beyond' becomes tragic tribute for two

Star Trek Beyond was always going to deal with heartbreak.

Leonard Nimoy, the only member of the seminal TV series to join the rebooted film franchise as Spock Prime, died in February 2015 at 83 before the third Trek  film began shooting.

This sadness was amplified months after filming wrapped when Anton Yelchin, 27, who played navigator Pavel Chekov, died in a car accident in June.

"We knew going into production this would be bittersweet because of Leonard's loss," says Zachary Quinto, who plays a younger version of Commander Spock in the alternate timeline. "But none us could have possibly imagined the unfathomable tragedy of losing Anton.”

The credit tributes for  Star Trek Beyond (in theaters Friday) read simply “In Loving Memory of Leonard Nimoy” before going to “For Anton.” But the impact of these deaths goes deeper.

Spock Prime is portrayed as having died in the film, sending Quinto’s Spock into an existential crisis.

Straight Up Hollywood: Go on set of 'Star Trek Beyond'

“(Quinto’s) Spock faces his own mortality with his own (future self) passing. It just seemed like such an incredibly Trekkie idea,” says Simon Pegg, who co-wrote the movie with Doug Jung. “We had become very close to Leonard and loved the idea of this becoming part of Zach’s Spock journey. It seemed cosmically right, a fitting tribute to one of Star Trek 's iconic faces ."

When Spock talks about his own mortality onscreen, Quinto let highly un-Vulcan-like tears flow — not hard to tap into with the loss of his close friend Nimoy.

“They were certainly authentic expressions of my sadness,” says Quinto. “It’s not easy to lose someone so dear as Leonard. I was grateful to have somewhere to put that.”

Yelchin’s sudden death was a devastating shock to the tight-knit cast, coming weeks before director Justin Lin finished editing the film. Lin added a poignant image of Yelchin to a scene where Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) toasts absent friends.

“It's a beautiful shot of Anton, looking relaxed, like he didn’t know the camera was on him,” says Pegg. “That was a way we could at least acknowledge the awfulness of what happened.”

The emotional cast called an emergency meeting to discuss whether they would even talk about the film publicly.   

“We were devastated, bereft beyond any idea. The idea of banging a drum, saying 'Come see this movie,' seemed an impossible task,” says Pegg. “It’s been very difficult to process for us all. I would be lying if I said any of us have truly come to terms with it. I don’t know if we ever will.”

'Star Trek Beyond' crashes in a new world

Pegg ultimately found the film a fitting tribute to Yelchin, whose role won't be recast in the already-announced fourth  Star Trek.

“To see him onscreen being so great, so alive, it gave me hope that he will be around forever, in some way. Even if we have lost him,” says Pegg. “For people who never met him, he hasn’t gone away and won’t go away. I found myself heartened by that when I watched the movie. That means something to us.”

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Anton Yelchin, ‘Star Trek’ Actor, Dies at 27

By Dave Itzkoff

• June 19, 2016

Anton Yelchin, who played the young incarnation of Chekov, an excitable officer on the Starship Enterprise, in the rebooted “Star Trek” movie series, died early Sunday morning when he was pinned by his car in his driveway at his home in Los Angeles. He was 27.

Officer Jenny Houser of the Los Angeles Police Department said Mr. Yelchin was hit around 1:10 a.m. The car, an SUV, had rolled backward down a steep driveway and trapped him against a brick mailbox pillar and a security fence.

Officer Houser said he was found dead by friends who had come to his house, in the Studio City neighborhood, after he did not show up for a rehearsal.

(On Monday, The Associated Press reported that the vehicle, a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, was one of 1.1. million vehicles recalled by the manufacturer, Fiat Chrysler, in April because their gear shifters had confused drivers, causing the vehicles to roll away, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records.)

Mr. Yelchin was born on March 11, 1989, in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia, in what was then the Soviet Union. His parents, Irina Korina and Viktor Yelchin, were superstar figure skaters with the Leningrad Ice Ballet.

But the Yelchins, who are Jewish, fled the Soviet Union six months later, facing political and religious oppression and fearing for their son’s safety. They settled in Los Angeles. His parents survive him.

“It is a very bad situation over there,” Viktor Yelchin told The Los Angeles Times . “I would get angry, too — I’d say, ‘Why should we have to buy things on the black market? Why should we have to stand in line?’”

As a child actor, Anton made memorable appearances on television shows like “ER,” “The Practice” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” on which he played a child magician who frustrates Larry David with a card trick.

He also appeared in the films “Charlie Bartlett” (2007), with Robert Downey Jr., in which he played the title role, a talkative student who appoints himself his school’s resident therapist, and “Alpha Dog” (2006), in which he played an innocent boy who becomes an unwitting pawn in a drug war.

His breakthrough came in the director J. J. Abrams’s 2009 resuscitation of “Star Trek,” the venerable science-fiction adventure franchise. Mr. Yelchin was cast as Pavel Chekov, the Russian-born Starfleet officer portrayed by Walter Koenig in the original “Star Trek” television series and movies.

As played by Mr. Yelchin, Chekov was endearingly antic, humorously navigating his way through high-pressure scenarios and — even in the 23rd century — having difficulty with the “V” sounds in words like “Victor” and “Vulcan.”

Mr. Yelchin reprised the role in a 2013 sequel, “Star Trek Into Darkness,” and will be seen in a third film, “Star Trek Beyond,” to be released this summer.

His other recent roles included the voice of Clumsy Smurf in two “Smurfs” movies and a member of a punk-rock band fighting its way out of a neo-Nazi skinhead club in the horror film “Green Room” (2015).

His co-stars mourned his death on social media. In an Instagram post , Zachary Quinto, who plays Spock in the new “Star Trek” movies, wrote that Mr. Yelchin was “one of the most open and intellectually curious people I have ever had the pleasure to know.” In a post on Twitter , John Cho, who plays Sulu in the new movies, called Mr. Yelchin “a true artist — curious, beautiful, courageous.”

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'Star Trek Beyond' Cast Fondly Remembers Late Crewmate Anton Yelchin and 'Trek' Icon Leonard Nimoy

The actors reflect fondly on their two friends and pay tribute to them on screen

As Star Trek Beyond readies to beam into theaters on July 22, the cast and filmmakers are hoping the memories of two late costars, Anton Yelchin and Leonard Nimoy, live long and prosper on screen.

During a press conference Thursday in Beverly Hills to promote the latest entry in the rebooted sci-fi franchise, co-stars remembered their colleague Yelchin – the actor who played Ensign Pavel Chekov in three films died at age 27 in a freak car accident on June 19 – both fondly and poignantly, but expressed hope that fans would revel in the late actor’s performances in the new film and throughout his impressive body of work.

“It’s devastating to lose a family member,” said Karl Urban, the film’s Dr. McCoy, reflecting on Yelchin’s loss. “We’re at a point where we should be celebrating, not only this film, but this beautiful man, this talented man. For all of us, it’s almost incomprehensible to be at a point where we have to talk about him in the past. The pain of his loss is still very raw.”

“He was just a good guy,” offered Chris Pine , who plays Captain Kirk and shared many scenes paired with Yelchin in the latest outing. “He was very sweet. He’s very beautifully, authentically Anton. There was not much of a sensor on the boy.”

“I remember one of the first times I met him, like nine years ago or whatever, he was 17,” Pine continued. “I invited him back to my trailer to play guitar because I knew he played guitar, and he played guitar really, really, really well. And he said, ‘I can’t man, I’ve got to go back to my trailer.’ I was like, ‘Okay, why?’ He was translating, like, an esoteric Russian novel into English, just because that’s what he wanted to do. Eight, nine years later I talked to him and he was still translating it.”

“And he was still reading a book on physics that this French philosopher had written,” Pine added. “And he was still trying to get all of us together … We’d be in Vancouver and he’d want to see some German neo-expressionist film that none of us [knew about] … he would talk about as if everyone has or should have seen it.”

“I always looked forward to every day that he was on set and we would huddle up, and he’d have a hundred ideas, even if he was just in the background,” said the film’s director Justin Lin.

“It still doesn’t feel real,” said costar Simon Pegg, who plays Scotty in the film and remembers Yelchin as “an incredible soul.”

“I spent a lot of time with Anton in Vancouver, this last year,” Pegg recalled. “He used to call me up, in the middle of the night sometimes, just to talk. He was an incredibly intelligent man. He would talk about films, so fluently and so maturely that he’d make us all look like dummies. I used to have to engage my university brain, just to sit down and talk to him about movies because he was exhaustively encyclopedic.”

VIDEO: Costars and Other Celebs Remember Star Trek Actor Anton Yelchin

The remembrance “For Anton … ” appears in the end credits of the film, as does a dedication to the memory of Leonard Nimoy, the iconic Mr. Spock of the original television series and films, who died last year at age 83 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.

[IMAGE “1” “” “std” ] Nimoy’s death came before shooting commenced, but his character the original “Spock Prime” and last survivor of an alternate timeline from the new events established when the Trek films rebooted in 2009 is also importantly referenced in the upcoming film.

“If Leonard was well enough to be a part of this film, I’m sure he would have been,” Zachary Quinto, who took on the role of Spock and became close with Nimoy during the filming of Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness , told PEOPLE. “And I know that there were early conversations with him about that possibility, which true to his incredible self, he knew himself well enough to know that that wouldn’t be possible at a certain point.”

“And then I think it became important to all of us to figure a way to honor his legacy,” added Quinto. “I thought [screenwriters] Simon and Doug [Jung] did a beautiful job of incorporating it into the narrative of the film.”

“It became an integral part of the story, not just a kind of nod in Leonard’s direction,” added Pegg. “That felt more right.”

“We all carried him with us through this production for sure,” said Quinto. “And it was definitely a different kind of feeling to make this movie without him, for me in particular. But I think he was very much a part of it in spirit, and certainly in the film now, and will be a part of anything we do moving forward, for sure.”

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Anton Yelchin Dead at 27: ‘Star Trek’ Actor Dies in ‘Freak Accident’

Michael nordine.

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“Star Trek” actor Anton Yelchin has died in what’s being called a freak accident. According to TMZ , a friend went to the performer’s home in the San Fernando Valley late last night after Yelchin missed a rehearsal hours earlier; once there, he found Yelchin “pinned between his car and a brick mailbox, which was attached to a security gate.” Yelchin was 27.

READ MORE: Anton Yelchin (1989 — 2016): A Career Retrospective in Photos

Law-enforcement officers, who do not suspect foul play, further told TMZ that the engine was running when Yelchin’s body was discovered and that the car was in neutral. They do not know why the actor, whose driveway is on a steep incline, exited his vehicle in the first place. Paramount released the following statement: “All of us at Paramount join the world in morning the untimely passing of Anton Yelchin. As a member of the ‘Star Trek’ family, he was beloved by so many and he will missed by all. We share our deepest condolences with his mother, father and family.”

READ MORE: Exclusive: Zooey Deschanel Finds Anton Yelchin Down A Well In Clip From ‘The Driftless Area’

Yelchin had been appearing in films since 2000, with his roles in the “Star Trek” franchise, “Terminator Salvation,” “Like Crazy” and “Only Lovers Left Alive” bringing him to wider attention in recent years. He recently starred in “ Green Room ” and will next be seen in “ Star Trek Beyond .”

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‘Star Trek Beyond’ actor Anton Yelchin dies at 27

“Star Trek Beyond” actor Anton Yelchin died early Sunday morning at age 27 in a “fatal traffic collision,” according to his publicist, Jennifer Allen.

Yelchin was found pinned between his car and a gate in his inclined driveway, Los Angeles police Officer Jenny Hosier told the Associated Press . The car was in neutral with the engine still running when the actor’s body was discovered, according to TMZ . Friends found the scene after becoming alarmed when he didn’t show up to meet them. No foul play is suspected.

Yelchin, whose third turn as Chekov in the forthcoming “Star Trek” sequel is due in theaters next month, was an up-and-coming actor known for his roles in a number of films, including “Alpha Dog,” “Charlie Bartlett,” “Like Crazy” and “Green Room.” He was no stranger to working with big-name actors — including Morgan Freeman, Bruce Willis, Robert Downey Jr., Diane Lane, Jennifer Lawrence and Susan Sarandon — while barely out of his teens.

Born March 11, 1989, to figure-skating Russian parents, Yelchin and his family moved to the United States when he was 6-months-old. His first acting gig was on the hit show “ER” in 2000. Yelchin acted on several television shows, including “The Practice,” “Criminal Minds,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “NYPD Blue.” But it was his turn in the 2001 film “Hearts in Atlantis,” based on Stephen King’s book, that earned him critical acclaim and a Young Artist Award for best performance in a feature film.

Yelchin’s death brought an immediate outpouring of grief on Twitter, as his name and the titles of several of his films began to trend on the social-media site. Co-stars, friends and fans alike have expressed their condolences, including King and director Guillermo del Toro, who was set to work with Yelchin in his upcoming Netflix animated series,  announced just last week .

The sweetest, most humble, delightful, talented guy you'd ever meet. Worked together for about a year. Shocked. https://t.co/uyg2NlmhqP — Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) June 19, 2016

Anton was a sweetheart. Absolutely a great creative partner and artist. — Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) June 19, 2016

Terrible news about Anton Yelchin, crazily talented actor gone too soon. — Stephen King (@StephenKing) June 19, 2016

Anton Yelchin was one of my best friends. Can't say anything that conveys what this feels like — Kat Dennings (@OfficialKat) June 19, 2016

I loved Anton Yelchin so much. He was a true artist - curious, beautiful, courageous. He was a great pal and a great son. I'm in ruins. — John Cho (@JohnTheCho) June 19, 2016

Still in shock. Rest in peace, Anton. Your passion and enthusiasm will live on with everyone that had the pleasure of knowing you. — Justin Lin (@justinlin) June 19, 2016

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zachary Quinto (@zacharyquinto)

We're saddened to report the passing of Anton Yelchin, best known as Chekov @StarTrekMovie https://t.co/dgpY0gSuem pic.twitter.com/EXMCAJsKgx — Star Trek (@StarTrek) June 19, 2016

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Star Trek Beyond Will Be Dedicated to Anton Yelchin

| June 21, 2016 | By: John Duchak 66 comments so far

The producers of Star Trek Beyond  have decided to dedicate the film to Anton Yelchin following his tragic death on June 19th, according to Hollywood Life . The filmmakers are allegedly in the process of adding a tribute to the film’s end credits.

This would mark the third time a Star Trek film has carried a dedication. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home  carried a dedication card that appeared before the film honoring the crew of the Spaceship Challenger following the 1986 disaster. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country  was in production as series creator Gene Roddenberry’s health was deteriorating and he passed before it opened. Like Star Trek IV , the film was dedicated to Roddenberry with a title card before the opening credits.

That´s wonderful, and i predict it will be hard to watch, :(

During the end credits. That means you almost won’t see it. It could be like a small line underneath the Dolby Stereo and Panavision logos.

Well I am assuming it will be after the movie but before the end credits roll. To do it at the end after the Panavision and motion picture association of america logos would be a mistake.

More than likely, it will be shown after the screen cuts to black, but before the credits roll. That’s how they seem to be doing it lately

Well, a lot of us die hards stay until the music stops and the lights come on!

Tribute could mean just some words yet it doesn’t necessarily. For all we know, they could be adding an extended video and photo montage after the credits as a tribute to him, with voice-overs by people who knew him speaking about him, his life, and their friendship or family relationship with him.

Will Leonard Nimoy get a dedication too?

@ Peter: Quinto said that they acknowledge Leonard’s passing in the movie. He didn’t say whether it was with a dedication in the credits or in some other way.

I wonder if the acknowledgement will be a mention in the film of Prime Spock’s passing. That would also be appropriate.

That’s my thought, Bart, that they’ll have an update from New Vulcan or something. I’m so glad they’re dedicating it to Anton though. It’s the right move to make, and yes, it will be hard to watch :( I’m still so sad about this

Probably a call via subspace to the Enterprise by Ambassador Sarek to inform his son that Prime Spock passed away.

Gosh Bart, didn’t think of that, it will be a tearjerker like when Spock died in Wrath of Khan! I wonder if he makes an appearance, then …

I know where I was and who I was with all those years ago !

Nice. Was hoping they would do this.

By the way, it was subtle, but Star Trek (2009) was credited “In Memory of Gene Roddenberry and Majel Barrett-Roddenberry”. (It’s the final credit in the film.) While Roddenberry’s death had come long before, Majel’s was recent (about six months before).

Very appropriate…a great loss.. That being said even though it is acknowledged in the film I certainly hope for “In memory of Leonard” at the beginning as well.

Me. too. Anton Yelchin was a great Chekov and a very sad loss, but Nimoy was the face of Star Trek for half a century, and wonderful as Yelchin was, his impact on Trek was not in the same league as Mr. Nimoy’s.

Nimoy is a great loss. His personality and talent held both the original series and the films together. Anton was just beginning to Shine. Such a sad accident.

End credits? Meh. Is that really such an issue to put an extra 5 seconds in the beginning with static text?

Depending on where the dedication is put, it may indeed be an issue with contracts or guild rules. Also an early dedication may not fit the mood the movie is going for in its opening scenes

That was kinda my thought.

you dont want to start a movie with a dedication… especially a depressing one… it takes away from the film and the person being honored… it makes sense for the film to have it’s thing then the person to have his or hers at the end…

That is very appropriate. Good for them

Into Darkness was dedicated to post 9/11 vets…

https://trekmovie.com/2013/05/11/star-trek-into-darkness-dedicated-to-post-911-vets-four-vets-from-mission-continues-featured-in-film/

If the movie opens with a simple card that reads:

“For Leonard”

“For Anton”

It would bring the house down.

Unless the end credits tribute is some kind of montage, it won’t do.

VERY well put.

A lot of movies have bloopers or trailer for next movie during or even right at the end of the credits. Unless the toilet calls most people stay until the light come on after it is finished (or leave early to beat the crowd at the cinema. Not an issue after dvd version comes out)

not to mention James Horner, composer for Star Trek II and III

“For Leonard and Anton: Second star to the right and straight on til morning”

There is no “morning” in space.

I love your to the stars and peter pan reference. And “HE DOES HAVE THE POWER”!!!!

I agree wholeheartedly. Most people leave the theater while the credits are still rolling.

A dedication like the one at the end of Fast 7 would be really cool and tear jerking all at once.

The tribute at the end of American Sniper tore my daughter and I apart. The live video of the funeral drive…omg! My husband had to peel myself and my daughter out of our chairs. Sometimes it’s worth staying for the tributes…

That’s awesome!!! I had hoped that the studio would do this. That kid deserves an honored send off.

That’s good to hear.

This is the FOURTH time. Star Trek(2009) was dedicated to Majel Barret Roddenberry, as I recall.

It’s starting trek 50th anniversary. So they should have a 5m Memorial dedicated to all the gone before. And also before the movie starts

Good point!

I agree with this statement…the honourable mentions should come before the movie. However i also think there should be a remembrance afterwords as well.

If the tribute is going to be something special then ok, at the end is fine. But do it before the end credits roll, not after the Panavision and MPAA logo’s. I realize movies not longer do opening credits because most (young) people are impatient. But personally, like Star Trek IV and VI, I believe the movie should open with the dedication.

Classy move by everyone involved…What a tragedy.

It would also be a wonderful gesture to acknowledge the passing + contribution of Leonard Nimoy.

Absolutely! Anton Yelchin was a great Chekov and a very sad loss, but Nimoy was the face of Star Trek for half a century, and wonderful as Yelchin was, his impact on Trek was not in the same league as Mr. Nimoy’s.

I’m going to be honest, it’s going to be really hard watching this movie even though I’m so excited for it. So many mixed emotions. This is still really shocking. Really seemed like a great kid.

Twenty-seven years old is not a kid. He was a man, a well-established actor with significant credits behind him. Far from a kid.

I´m 41 and would call him a kid :) (ouch)

I’m almost 62 and would call you (or probably anyone else posting here) a kid. :) And, I have a son who’s close in age to Anton Yelchin.

Lighten up, kid.

So sad, but a good thought for a franchise that really does feel like a family outing.

Man, Anton’s death didn’t really seem “real” until like today. I feel so bad for his friends & family. He was just a few years younger than I…it’s so damn tragic.

Was originally hoping for an end credits scene with Shatner. Since that was not going to happen I thought it would be nice to have Bill included in whatever tribute they had planned for Leonard Nimoy. Hopefully they do a great tribute to Anton Yelchin. This is supposed to be a celebration of the 50th anniversary unfortunately too much loss this year.

Since Shatner was too busy doing an appearance to even take the time to go to Leonard Nimoys funeral; would be fine if he was not included in the tribute. Have heard about his selfishness for years and that action just proved it. An appearance can be rescheduled, a funeral cannot.

Glad to read this

Sorta obvious this would be the case.

Very nice and well deserved.

Director Justin Lin is on a bad luck streak. First it was Paul Walker, now it’s Anton Yelchin. :/

PW didn’t die on Lin’s watch. AY died long after shooting for STB wrapped. So long after that in fact, AY shot 4 or 5 other movies since then.

The end credits are fine. Movies now usually start right after the logos – and the music and everything else will have already been done.

It’s thoughtful however they do it. Opening credits or closing to me it doesn’t matter, that they do it does. Also for Leonard to be mentioned in the movie is fine.

I’m excited. About the new movie but it will be bittersweet with the loss of Anton. Prayers for his family and all his coworkers. It’s amazing how fortunate the Star Trek family has been with most of our beloved crews dying from old age.

This was so sad. So young.

At the end? Just about everyone will have left the theater by then. Why not put it just at the end of the studio and production logos? ‘For Anton Yeltsin…may his memory live on beyond the 23rd century…’ :D

Everytime I watch Star Trek…I’ll remember Anton Yelchin. Always have and always will. He really made Pavel a character to adore.

It should have been at the beginning of the movie. Who really stays after the screen fades to black ?

As doctor McCoy said in Wrath of Khanna, “He’s really not dead. As long as we remember him.”

The dedication to Anton should be at start of Beyond. Anton has transcended into the Beyond.

Getting emotional just thinking about bout it will have tissues with I think for this one

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Anton yelchin, ‘star trek’ actor, dies at 27.

J.J. Abrams, Jodie Foster and Drake Doremus pay tribute in the wake of the actor's accidental death on Sunday morning.

By Arlene Washington , Ryan Parker June 19, 2016 11:15am

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Anton Yelchin , best known for playing Chekov in the new Star Trek films, has died. He was 27.

The actor was killed in a car accident early Sunday morning, his publicist, Jennifer Allen, confirmed.

The accident happened around 1:10 a.m. at Yelchin’s home in Studio City, LAPD spokeswoman Jenny Houser told The Hollywood Reporter . “It appears he momentarily exited his car and it rolled backward, causing trauma that led to his death,” said Houser. 

Yelchin was on his way to meet his friends for rehearsal and when he didn’t respond, his friends went to check on him. The actor was found pinned between the car and the fence and a mailbox pillar. 

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Yelchin  stars in the upcoming  Star Trek Beyond , which is set to open July 22. The film’s studio, Paramount Pictures, released a statement on Yelchin’s death:

All of us at Paramount join the world in mourning the untimely passing of Anton Yelchin . As a member of the Star Trek family, he was beloved by so many and he will missed by all. We share our deepest condolences with his mother, father and family.

Star Trek director J.J. Abrams posted a tribute to the actor through his Bad Robot Productions Twitter page. He tweeted a photo of a handwritten note which reads, “You were brilliant. You were kind. You were funny as hell, and supremely talented. And you weren’t here nearly long enough. Missing you. JJ “

pic.twitter.com/ q8VBJBVPK3 — Bad Robot (@bad_robot) June 19, 2016

Yelchin in May signed on to co-star in DirecTV/the Audience Network’s 10-episode straight-to-series Stephen King adaptation Mr. Mercedes . Producer David E. Kelley told THR Yelchin was to portray Brady Hartsfield , a mentally deranged ice cream truck driver and IT worker for Cyber Patrol (aka Geek Squad) who is secretly the Mercedes Killer. The drama is slated to premiere in 2018 on both DirecTV and AT&T Uverse . 

“We are devastated to learn of the tragic death of Anton Yelchin ,” a spokeswoman for DirecTV/Audience Network said in a statement. “We greatly admired his talent and were very much looking forward to working with him on Mr. Mercedes. Everyone at AT&T and Audience Network extends our deepest condolences. Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”

It remains unclear how Yelchin’s death will impact the series.

Yelchin began acting as a child, both in films and television, including in Steven Spielberg’s Emmy-award-winning TV series Taken , which aired on the Sci-Fi Channel in late 2002. The prolific actor starred in several films released in 2001, including Along Came a Spider , but garnered the most recognition for Hearts in Atlantis .

In 2006, Yelchin received widespread acclaim for Alpha Dog , a crime thriller drawing from the real-life story of kidnap and murder victim Nicholas Markowitz . 

Paramount was particularly impressed with the young actor; the studio and Abrams cast him to play Chekov in their reinvigorated Star Trek series, the first of which hit theaters in 2009. Yelchin reprised the role in Star Trek Into Darkness in 2013 and will be seen posthumously in Star Trek Beyond . (Justin Lin took over directing duties from Abrams on the third film.)

Yelchin also devoted his time to a number of smaller and independent films, including Jodie Foster’s The Beaver (2011).

“Anton … What a rare and beautiful soul with his unstoppable passion for life,” Foster said in a statement. “He was equal parts serious thinker and the most fun little brother you could ever dream of. I am so honored to have been able to direct such a deep actor, so committed and genuine. I will forever be grateful for all of those little exchanges we shared, his contagious enthusiasm, his questions, his company. My heart breaks for his mom and dad who were a part of every anecdote. He carried their love into everything he touched.”

Yelchin starred opposite Felicity Jones and Jennifer Lawrence in the 2011 indie film Like Crazy , which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Paramount’s specialty division, Paramount Vantage, picked up the movie and gave it a limited release at the box office, where it earned north of $3.4 million.

Drake Doremus , who co-wrote and directed Like Crazy , was reached by THR shortly after the news broke. “I’m still in shock,” he said. “I’m having a hard time processing it. I just woke up and saw it online and thought it was a hoax, you know, like some of these things are. Then I talked to some people who confirmed it and it’s just devastating.”

He continued: “Everyone’s devastated. I spoke to Felicity, who is very devastated and very upset. And Jon Schwartz [the film’s producer]. You just try to touch base with all the people you love and who changed your life, and he certainly changed all our lives.”

Yelchin also starred in Rudderless ( 2014) for director William H. Macy; Michael Almereyda’s Cymbeline (2015), which made its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival; and Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Broken Horses (2015). Major studio offerings in recent years outside of Star Trek included DreamWork’s Fright Night remake (2011), directed by Craig Gillespie, and Sony’s animated franchise The Smurfs . 

Pamela McClintock, Lesley Goldberg and Scott Feinberg contributed to this report .

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• <i>Star Trek</i> Actor Anton Yelchin Killed by Own Car

Star Trek Actor Anton Yelchin Killed by Own Car

(LOS ANGELES) — Anton Yelchin, a rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the new “Star Trek” films, was killed by his own car as it rolled backward down his driveway early Sunday, police and his publicist said.

The car pinned Yelchin, 27, against a brick mailbox pillar and a security fence at his home in Studio City, according to Los Angeles police Officer Jenny Hosier. He had gotten out of the vehicle momentarily, but police did not say why he was behind it when it started rolling.

Yelchin was on his way to meet friends for a rehearsal, Hosier said. When he didn’t show up, the group came to his home and found him dead.

The freak accident tragically cuts short the promising career of an actor whom audiences were still getting to know.

Yelchin began acting as a child, taking small roles in independent films and various television shows, such as “ER,” ”The Practice,” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” His breakout big-screen role came opposite Anthony Hopkins in 2001’s “Hearts in Atlantis.”

He transitioned into teenage roles in films such as the crime thriller “Alpha Dog” and the teen comedy “Charlie Bartlett.” He also played a young Kyle Reese in 2009’s “Terminator Salvation.”

Yelchin, an only child, was born in Russia. His parents were professional figure skaters who moved the family to the United States when Yelchin was a baby. He briefly flirted with skating lessons, too, before discovering that he wasn’t very skilled on the ice. That led him to acting class.

“I loved the improvisation part of it the most, because it was a lot like just playing around with stuff. There was something about it that I just felt completely comfortable doing and happy doing,” Yelchin told The Associated Press in 2011 while promoting the romantic drama “Like Crazy.” He starred opposite Felicity Jones.

“(My father) still wanted me to apply to college and stuff, and I did,” Yelchin said. “But this is what I wanted.”

His biggest role to date has been in the rebooted “Star Trek” films as the heavily accented navigator Chekov, for which he was able to draw on his Russian roots. The third film in the series, “Star Trek Beyond,” comes out in July.

“What’s great about him is he can do anything. He’s a chameleon. He can do bigger movies or smaller, more intimate ones,” ”Like Crazy” director Drake Doremus told the AP in 2011. “There are a lot of people who can’t, who can only do one or the other. … That’s what blows my mind.”

Yelchin transitioned between the big sci-fi franchise and voicing a part for “The Smurfs.” He also appeared in more eccentric and artier fare, like Jim Jarmusch’s vampire film “Only Lovers Left Alive” and Jeremy Saulnier’s horror thriller “Green Room,” a cult favorite that came out earlier this year.

The actor’s publicist, Jennifer Allen, confirmed his death and said his family requests privacy.

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Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

To Boldly Go: Ranking Every Star Trek Movie From Worst To Best

September 8, 2023 by Shaun Munro

6. Star Trek Beyond (2016)

Directed by Justin Lin. Starring John Cho, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, and Idris Elba.

Star Trek Beyond marked something of a creative departure from its two predecessors; J.J. Abrams was replaced by The Fast and the Furious’ Justin Lin, while the script was penned by one of the movie’s own stars – the venerable Simon Pegg.

For fans who complained that Star Trek Into Darkness was a hollow attempt to repackage the success of Wrath , Beyond was an evident attempt by Pegg to more earnestly hearken back to the tone and heart of the Original Series .

As such Beyond may not be the biggest or the most exciting Trek film, but its restrained efficiency is also refreshing, in allowing characters to take precedent in a $185 million sci-fi blockbuster – which may partly explain its disappointing box office performance.

The film literally opens with Kirk monologuing that his adventures have begun to feel rather  episodic , and truly, Beyond feels like a traditional Original Series episode extended to feature length – yet, mostly in a good way. Pegg’s script spends large portions focused on little more than characters talking – quite often Kirk caught in the midst of an existential quandary – combined with the expected trips to far-flung planets and, yes, a cartoonish villain played by a name actor.

If Beyond lacks the more heightened technical polish of Abrams’ films, there’s an appealing scrappiness to Lin’s approach, full of dutch angles, 360-degree pans, and snappily edited, close-knit camera coverage. Yet Lin also lets Pegg’s character scenes breathe as they require, and despite fan skepticism of the director’s ability to deliver the trained patience the best Trek movies insist upon, he acquits himself extremely well.

The cast also feels less constrained by the machinery of the tentpole movie than they did in Into Darkness ; Pine makes the most of Kirk’s introspective moments, while Karl Urban finally gets to steal the show with his abundance of hysterical dialogue (I suspect Bones might be a fave of Pegg’s), and Pegg’s own Scotty gets a wonderful two-hander with alien newcomer Jaylah, played with comic gusto by Sofia Boutella (and further aided by incredible, Oscar-nominated makeup effects).

Idris Elba was a marvelous choice to play the primary mutant antagonist Krall, so it’s a bit of a shame that he’s a relatively one-note character, and his third-act “regression” back into his primary human form feels like nothing more than a lazy way to get Elba’s actual face in the movie. It’s really at this point that Beyond loses some of its character focus and becomes more of a laboured spectacle, though the sequence in which The Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage” is played to disorientate Krall’s drone swarm skirts on just the right side of inspired nonsense.

Beyond certainly violates several threequel rules, by failing to resolutely up the scale or round off three movies of character work – as a fourth film was initially planned, prior to its box office disappointment – but in hewing back to the Trek of yore, it does feel like a spiritual homecoming of sorts for both its focal heroes and long-time fans of the series. And given that both Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin sadly passed away shortly before the film’s release, their small, respective tributes are in both instances extremely heartening.

An admirably modest, more character-driven Trek movie,  Star Trek Beyond foregrounds its characters and emotions over grandstanding action sequences – most of the time, anyway.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★

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12 Actors Who Were on Curb Your Enthusiasm Before They Were Famous

From brief bits to more fully realized characters, these 12 actors displayed comedic talents that would later achieve household name status.

• As a cult favorite, Curb Your Enthusiasm thrives on unhinged satire of social norms with comedy legend Larry David at the helm.
• The show's success lies in simple, believable scenarios in LA, populated by talented performers elevating Larry's antics to absurd heights.
• Early spots on the show helped launch actors like Anton Yelchin, Kaitlin Olson, Bobby Lee, Melissa McCarthy, Bob Odenkirk, and more into stardom.

Ever since its debut in 2000, Curb Your Enthusiasm has branded itself as a cult favorite. The reason? It delivers an unhinged and biting satire of everyday social cues and mannerisms. Led by comedy legend Larry David, who plays a semi-fictionalized version of himself, the hit HBO sitcom is all about having a laugh as Larry gets into some well-intentioned misadventures and somehow makes things worse with his ways.

Curb Your Enthusiasm was a standout because it never relied on complicated plots or subtexts – it simply threw Larry into the most awkward and believable situations in Los Angeles. With no laugh track to guide reactions, the series’ own ability to churn out hilarious scenarios was genuinely remarkable.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

*Availability in US

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Central to Curb Your Enthusiasm’s success were the talented performers that showed up in Larry’s world. Of course, no one was more maladjusted and egoistical than Larry David himself, but supporting players like Richard Lewis, Ted Danson, Jeff Garlin and Cheryl Hines as his long-suffering wife elevated the absurdity. Along with some mainstays, there were integrated cameos from big name comedians as well as actors who were yet to hold their own. This list focuses on just that. We have narrowed down 12 actors who got early spots on Curb Your Enthusiasm and were then launched into unexpected stardom.

12 Anton Yelchin

In Episode 33, “The Blind Date,” Anton Yelchin delivered a memorable and hilarious performance as Stewart, Cheryl’s cousin. On a couple of occasions, he would refuse to give up the secret of his card tricks, and even when Larry got angry, he wouldn’t budge. He was just a teenager at the time, but Yelchin stole his scenes with effortless comic timing and the ability to hold his own against series veteran Larry David.

Yelchin Found Success in Star Trek

After his introduction to American audiences on Curb , Yelchin went on to prove himself as one of the most talented performers of his generation. His most acclaimed outing was in the Star Trek reboot, a role that established him as a skilled actor. Yelchin also stars in movies like Alpha Dog , Green Room , and Like Crazy . Tragically, Yelchin would suddenly pass away in mid 2016, with his last film role being in 2017's We Don't Belong Here .

11 Kaitlin Olson

Before spending over a decade honing her skills playing a character who is equal parts pathetic and outrageous (yes, we’re talking about Sweet Dee on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia ), Kaitlin Olson had viewers do a double take on her brief but remarkable turn as Cheryl’s sister, Becky, in Episode 8, "Beloved Aunt." She originally had a smaller role that saw her butting heads with Larry over relationship squabbles. Only recently, she returned for a longer stint and dated Larry for a brief period of time in Season 10, starting with Episode 98, "Elizabeth, Margaret, and Larry."

It's Always Sunny for Kaitlin Olson

Olson’s razor-sharp humor and confidence came to define her career, before she was eventually chosen to play Dee on FX’s longest-running series. She would later star in movies like The Heat with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, as well as Leap Year with Amy Adams. Olson would even get a lead role in her very own series, The Mick , which ran for a modest two seasons on Fox.

10 Bobby Lee

Bobby Lee , a stand-up comedian and actor, popped up in a hilarious role as a Korean bookie named Sung in Episode 49 of Curb Your Enthusiasm , which was also titled “The Korean Bookie.” Even in a tiny part, watching Lee screw Larry over was genuinely funny and infectious. It is true that his comedic stylings were beyond honed by the time Curb Your Enthusiasm called him in. After all, Lee was quite well-known on the LA stand-up circuit, and he was the first Asian cast member on MADtv .

Bobby Lee Has Explored Multiple Roles

But in the years since, Lee has transformed into an unstoppable scene-stealing comedian whose fearless improv skills garnered massive acclaim. He has had small roles in a series of comedies. As one third of the beloved no-holds-barred podcast TigerBelly , he has also proven himself as someone whose opinions on pop culture and life are worth tuning in for.

He is also the co-host of the Bad Friends podcast with Andrew Santino ( Ricky Stanicky ), and he's currently slated to play the role of Larry in Eli Roth's upcoming film adaptation of the Borderlands video game series. One of his latest roles was in the Johnny Knoxville dramedy Sweet Dreams .

9 Oscar Nunez

You probably know him as the smartest guy in one of the most hilarious workplace comedy sitcoms of all time. But before Oscar Nunez became Oscar Martinez, he delivered an understated performance as a parking lot attendant on Curb Your Enthusiasm . Coincidentally, it also doubled as his first-ever television role. Episode 5, “Interior Decorator,” sees Nunez putting on a thick Mexican accent and arguing with Larry about the most trivial matters. In this case, a series of errors puts Larry in a pickle when he can't get his car parked.

Oscar Nunez Found Success in The Office

Nunez then found mainstream success in The Office , where he was endlessly entertaining, vibing along with the surrounding zaniness at Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch. In acclaimed films like The Proposal , The 33 , and The Lost City as well , he has continued to lend his humor. Even though Curb Your Enthusiasm was relatively early in his career, it helped Nunez prove his potential. His latest television role was in the now-canceled AMC series Lucky Hank , where he starred alongside Bob Odenkirk.

10 Worst Things Larry Ever Did on Curb Your Enthusiasm

8 melissa mccarthy.

One of the most versatile actresses of our time and recipient of two Primetime Emmy Awards, Melissa McCarthy is an essential part of modern cinema and television. In Episode 37, “The Surrogate,” McCarthy played the role of a salesperson at a toy store. She has an awkward interaction with Larry where she is all smiles while listening to him talk about biracial dolls.

McCarthy Became a Household Name

Not a household name at the time, McCarthy infused her character with the same inquisitive charm, compassion, and intelligence that would define her in The WB's hit comedy drama, Gilmore Girls . Following that, McCarthy has won credits in hits like Bridesmaids , Spy , Ghostbusters , and more. Today, she continues to expand the idea of what female stars can accomplish, with her latest role being in Donna Stankowski's 2024 Netflix comedy Unfrosted .

7 Bob Odenkirk

A then little-known Bob Odenkirk delivered a pitch-perfect performance in Curb Your Enthusiasm as Gil, a former adult film star who offered Cheryl an unfiltered glimpse into his career while sitting next to her at a dinner party. The episode was, quite unsurprisingly, titled “Porno Gil,” and it showed Odenkirk’s mastery of bizarre characterization and timing. Though he had a brief stint on Saturday Night Live as well as his own show on HBO with David Cross, Mr. Show with Bob and David , his career really started to take off after his brief time on Curb Your Enthusiasm .

Bob Odenkirk Became a "Criminal" Lawyer

Odenkirk then took those skills to new heights with his career-defining role as Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad . A perfect comedic foil to the drug-making antics of Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse (Aaron Paul), Odenkirk's performance is easily one of the most well-regarded aspects of the series as a whole. Odenkirk was so popular, his character even got his own spin-off series, Better Call Saul , which allowed him to channel both comedy and drama in an unforgettable lead role. Odenkirk has also starred in a bunch of other shows and movies, including FX's Fargo and Nobody . His genius for making characters feel real continues to mesmerize us.

6 Stephen Colbert

In Episode 40 of Curb Your Enthusiasm , “Opening Night,” Stephen Colbert played an aggressive New York tourist who asks Larry to take a picture of him with his wife. But an argument erupts between the two after Larry fails and Colbert’s character puts a curse on him. With the subtle hilarity he infused in that brief exchange, Colbert left viewers wanting to see more of his unique and sharp sense of humor.

Colbert Took Over Late-Night

Of course, Colbert soon rocketed to superstar status when he started hosting The Colbert Report in 2005. Through the show, he reinvented political satire in a way that's just as commanding and relevant today. Currently, Colbert hosts The Late Show , and has been doing so after taking over for David Letterman in 2015. Naturally, when Larry showed up as a guest on The Late Show , the two looked back on their time working together.

5 Doug Benson

Doug Benson has a very small role in Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Episode 16, “The Acupuncturist,” where he plays Barry’s cousin. He wasn’t an established name then, which is why Benson’s character was easily missable. But since then, he has endeared himself to audiences with his iconic comedic sensibilities.

A Cameo Exploded Into Something Much Greater

He starred in the movie Super High Me , which is a cult favorite and enthusiastic documentary surrounding weed culture and its physiological effects. Benson went on to host numerous podcasts like Doug Loves Movies and Getting Doug with High , where he pushed the boundaries of the medium and explored thought-provoking ideas, proving comedy can be about and achieve much more. He would also drift in and out of the world of television and film, voicing Bane in The Lego Batman Movie and starring as himself in the FX series You're the Worst .

4 Jorge Garcia

In Episode 36, “The Car Pool Lane,” Jorge Garcia played a drug dealer. The conversation between Jorge’s character and Larry revolves around smoking cannabis to help with his eyesight, which is a classic Curb Your Enthusiasm scenario. From Larry’s over-the-top hilarity to Garcia’s deadpan reaction, every aspect of the episode is unique and effortless.

Jorge Garcia Found Success in Lost

In a matter of months, Garcia found worldwide fame by starring in Lost , where he brought heart and humor as lottery winner Hugo “Hurley” Reyes. He was also a member of the main cast in Hawaii Five-0 , playing the role of Jerry Ortega alongside other talents like Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Cann. In movies like Deck the Halls and The Ridiculous 6 , Garcia balanced his dramatic skills with earnest laughter, with his latest role in the Max-exclusive series Bookie leaning more heavily into the latter.

When Curb Your Enthusiasm Saved an Innocent Man from the Death Penalty

3 zachary levi.

Another star who earned fame after his appearance on Curb Your Enthusiasm is Zachary Levi . In a tiny but memorable role in "Opening Night" as an “unreliable” Bellman who simply wouldn’t get a tip from Larry, he delivered every line with a smooth and inventive charm. The episode also features Jerry Seinfeld's first-ever appearance in Curb Your Enthusiasm .

Zachary Levi Became a Superhero and a Spy

Levi has since become a familiar face, starring as Chuck Bartowski in the series Chuck , a spy-themed comedic drama about an average next-door nerd who ends up working for the CIA. Levi is also known for starring as the titular Shazam! in the DC hit film and its sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods . In projects like Tangled and The Star , he lent his immensely likable voice and wit to the characters of Flynn and Joseph, respectively. His latest role saw him replacing Mel Gibson's performance in the long-awaited sequel to Chicken Run , Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget .

2 Ken Jeong

Ken Joeng had been making brief appearances in shows like Community , The Office , and Curb Your Enthusiasm before properly breaking out. In the latter, his character didn't have an official name, and he showed up in Episode 52, which was titled “The Anonymous Donor.” Despite his incredibly minor role here, however, his success in the entertainment world afterward is nothing to scoff at.

From a Minor Comedic Role to a Competition Panelist

Since then, Jeong has emerged as one of comedy’s most adventurous performers . His role as Leslie Chow in The Hangover film series was a massive hit with critics and fans alike. Always taking risks in the comedy landscape, Jeong has added new dimensions to the genre with his acting, writing, and frenetic energy, later earning his own stand-up comedy special on top of starring in his own sitcom, Dr. Ken . Additionally, he is one of several panelists on the hit reality competition series The Masked Singer .

1 Mindy Kaling

Just months after The Office first premiered on NBC, when Mindy Kaling still hadn’t established herself as the wildly delusional customer service representative at the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin, she landed a cameo in Curb Your Enthusiasm . She played Richard Lewis’ assistant in Episode 45, “Lewis Needs a Kidney.” She gets a call from Larry and bursts into tears after hearing that he is sick.

Mindy Kaling Starred in Her Own Series

Kaling later went on to co-create and star in The Mindy Project , where she candidly addressed topics related to romance, femininity, and adulthood. Even in movies like Late Night and Four Weddings and a Funeral , she brought the kind of quirkiness and hilarity that cemented her status as one of the industry’s most talented artists. Her most recent television project, Velma , has recently returned for Season 2, with Kaling voicing the title character once more.

Ben Affleck’s Curb Your Enthusiasm Cameo May Be the Shortest in TV History

This Was Anton Yelchin's Favorite Episode From Star Trek: The Original Series

J.J. Abrams' 2009 "Star Trek" feature film wasn't so much an adaptation of the 1966 TV series as it was a film version of how non-Trekkies view the franchise. To explain: on the TV series, Captain Kirk (William Shatner) is typically depicted as being judicious, stern, and decisive. Because of the few times Kirk solved problems with his fists, however, he has gained a (perhaps unfair) reputation for being a reckless cowboy, an insufferable lothario, and a flippant charmer. Abrams' version of Kirk (Chris Pine) rolled with those misconceptions, making a "high-octane" version of the character. Indeed, all the characters are now broader, more passionate versions of themselves. This is in addition to each of them being secret super-geniuses, deeply expert in at least one field of science, language, medicine, or engineering.

Case in point, Chekov (Anton Yelchin) knows how to operate a transporter in such a way that he can snatch crewmates right out of the air as they plummet through a planet's atmosphere below. Everything in the 2009 "Star Trek" is shifted into overdrive, with whirling cameras, shouting, fighting, and desperate last-minute escapes. Abrams turned "Star Trek" into an action movie. 

That said, many of the new cast members did their "Star Trek" homework, watching old episodes of the original series and using their forebears as models for the latest versions of their characters. Yelchin in particular closely emulated Walter Koenig, and was even careful to imitate Koenig's unique Russian accent, even if it wasn't wholly accurate. 

In 2009, TrekMovie interviewed the late Yelchin about playing Chekov, asking the actor -- perhaps naturally -- what his favorite episode of the original series was. Surprisingly, Yelchin was very fond of "Who Mourns for Adonais?," the episode wherein the Enterprise crew faces off against the Greek god Apollo.

Read more: The 21 Best Star Trek Original Series Episodes, Ranked

Yelchin Thought That 'Who Mourns For Adonais?' Was 'Fascinating'

"Who Mourns for Adonais?" (September 22, 1967) begins with the Enterprise being grabbed in space by a giant green human hand. Kirk and company beam down to a nearby planet to find Apollo (Michael Forest) living there. This appears to be the actual god Apollo of Greek myth, and he demands that the Enterprise crew worship him, just like he used to be worshiped back on Earth. Kirk, Chekov, and the others surmise that Apollo is actually an ancient alien that once visited Earth thousands of years ago, and the locals assumed he was a god. Kirk explains to Apollo that humans have outgrown the need for gods, and Apollo is sad. After Apollo ascends to join the other "gods," Kirk admits that even without the benefit of divinity, modern civilization still owes a lot to ancient Greek culture. The title is a reference to an 1821 Percy Shelley elegy about John Keats.

Yelchin probably liked "Adonais" because Chekov has a lot to contribute. He was part of the episode's landing party, and he was active and contributive. In Yelchin's words: 

"Probably the one with Apollo. I think is such an intelligent episode. It is an episode where the basic point is that humanity ... looking at it in terms of the '60s when men are their own gods, and look at where they brought their universe to. It was such a fascinating, touching, weird thing to have an episode. Where men come to a planet where a god wants to be a god again." 

No such heady concepts were included in the 2009 film, as it was, as mentioned, an action picture. But It's nice to see that Yelchin found some of the original Trek concepts to be interesting. 

'Amok Time' - A.k.a. The Pon Farr Episode

Yelchin also liked "Amok Time," saying, "I also love the episode where Spock is PMSing and where Kirk has to fight Spock."

That's an indelicate way of describing pon farr, a Vulcan phenomenon where their bodies sexually activate once every seven years. While undergoing pon farr, Vulcans become unbearably horny, but also very angry and animalistic. They are moved to mate. In "Amok Time" (September 15, 1967) , Spock (Leonard Nimoy) undergoes pon farr and returns to Vulcan to marry his betrothed T'Pring (Arlene Martel). T'Pring finds that Kirk is a more appealing mate, however, and Kirk and Spock have to fight in a Vulcan gladiatorial arena for her hand. It's a notable episode of "Star Trek" because of the amount of Vulcan lore it introduced into the franchise, but many -- like Yelchin -- seem attached to the episode's silly, horny violence. 

Yelchin also admitted that he did more research than some of his co-stars. He read "The Star Trek Encyclopedia" by Mike and Denise Okuda, and watched every episode of the show. Chris Pine, it seems, began watching the series, but stopped partway through the first season. "I kept going. I loved it," Yelchin said. "I even watched the episodes that Chekov wasn't in. The ones that he was in I found interesting, like when they go to a bar in 'The Troubles With Tribbles' and they have a drink, I liked that." 

Yelchin also played Chekov in "Star Trek Into Darkness" in 2013 and in "Star Trek Beyond" in 2016, released posthumously .

Read the original article on SlashFilm