Anton Yelchin has passed away following a freak accident on his property in the San Fernando Valley in California. Yelchin always gave the impression of being just a really nice guy – he always seemed sweet, slightly earnest, and like a guy without a mean bone in his body. He’s probably best known for playing Chekov in the rebooted Star Trek movies, and he reprised the role in Star Trek Beyond, which comes out this summer. You may also know him from Like Crazy, Charlie Bartlett or Only Lovers Left Alive, but Yelchin had 65 acting credits in his too-short 27 years – you can see him IMDB here.
TMZ reported that Yelchin’s friends found his body in the early morning hours Sunday. He had been pinned between his own Jeep and the mail box pillar/security gate of his home. Apparently, his car had been in neutral and the driveway was on a steep incline, so the car started rolling and Yelchin couldn’t get away in time. TMZ says that the police do not suspect foul play.
Yelchin was born in what was then the USSR, but his Russian parents moved to LA when he was just a baby. He grew up as any American would, and he began acting at a young age, which explains how he has so many acting credits at the age of 27. It’s a tremendous loss for Hollywood and for all of his friends, family and loved ones.
Yelchin’s friends and coworkers paid tribute to him online on Sunday. Here are just some of the tributes:
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
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
Devastated to hear about the brilliant Anton Yelchin. He was thoughtful, kind, and gifted. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) June 19, 2016
Absolutely devastated to hear about Anton Yelchin. He was such a gifted, natural actor & a deeply kind man. My thoughts are with his family.
— Tom Hiddleston (@twhiddleston) 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
— Bad Robot (@bad_robot) June 19, 2016
Photos credit: WENN and Fame
super sad. i always enjoyed watching him on screen.
I can’t believe he’s gone. Like crazy is one of my favorite low key love story drama movie and I was hoping for a Felicity Jones reunion movie. This is so sad.
I’m super devastated about this. Like Crazy is one of my favorite films and I found him to be an incredible talent. Such a loss to the acting world.
Its such a shame, really and truly.
He was a great everything, Kyle Reese, Chekov, Charlie in Fright Night, and human being.
I will definitely miss the hell outta that cute little dude.
So sad and scary and wrong. RIP.
Really, really sad story. RIP.
So tragic. So sad.
So very sad and tragic.
The good die young… he was a perfect young Chekov 🙁
I remember how much I liked the character he played in Charlie Bartlett. He and RDJ were great in their roles. It was filmed in Canada and had some of the cast from Degrassi High, including Drake in it.
I hav to catch on that one, yet!! Thanks for the tip, V4Real!
So sorry, unbelievably sad.
How could this even happen?
Oh wow. I wasn’t familiar with this young man but this story makes my heart ache. RIP.
I wasn’t familiar with this apparently gifted and kind young man, either, but I find this news gut wrenching.
Incredibly sad for him and his loss.
On a dime, life is.
Don’t wait till you’re too old to realize the meaning of “live every day to its fullest” and tell those you love how much you do as often as possible.
Exactly, very well said.
He was such a brilliant actor and seemed like a very sweet, down to earth and drama-free person. Still reeling from his untimely death. RIP Anton Yelchin 😢
What a tragic accident. He was way too young.
Terribly, terribly sad RIP Anton, my thoughts are with his family…
That made me gasp when I read it yesterday. Such a bizarre and awful thing to happen to anyone. RIP.
I half watched the news the am – wasn’t his car a Chrysler – part of the recall about how the shifter is kind of ambiguous and doesn’t stay in park? I’m guessing he put the car in park and got out, and that the shifter slipped or wasn’t fully engaged in park. So tragic.
He had a Jeep and it too was part of the recall due to gear problems.
1989. My sister is only two years older than him, and I can’t fathom anyone her age just not being here anymore. So young. 😔 Thoughts for his friends and loved ones, he seemed very genuine and good.
I was born in 1990. My husband ’89. This freaks me out so much – it’s so quick for things to go wrong.
Freak accident is right. I can’t imagine his horror. And did he have no neighbors who could see or hear what happened before hours had passed and he’d expired? Jeep Grand Cherokee is lawyering up….
–TheRealPinky
Seems like it happened late at night/early morning, so understandable that no one was around or looking out their windows. If the car just slowly rolled it probably didn’t make much noise when it hit and depending on how/where the car hit him it’s very possible he couldn’t get enough air to yell for help (which is awful, but honestly the best case scenario as at least it would have been fast).
The whole thing sounds so terrifying since there might be a change it was not fast.
Really, really hope he didn’t suffer.
I could be wrong but I thought they said on the news that he was supposed to meet up with friends and never showed. That’s why his friends went to his house looking for him so early in the morning and found him that way.
This is such a tragic accident that happened to this young man.
Goodness, the more I think about it the more my heart aches for him. I really hope he didn’t suffer.
RIP Anton.
@V4Real, I think the news reported that he was supposed to be at a rehearsal at 11 pm. When he didn’t show, people got worried. Arrived at his place around 1 am.
So horrible and heartbreaking. He was so talented with a promising future. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones.
He was brilliant young actor. I always felt like we really gave every character he played his all no matter how big or small the role was. He gave them soul. He was an only child, my heart really goes out to his Mom and Dad.
🙁 That is the saddest thing in the world – for the parents to bury their child.
@ LADYBIRD83-saw him in an early L&O (Criminal Intent?) and he was young and absolutely brilliant. I can’t even remember if his character was ‘good’ or ‘bad’; didn’t matter, because he made you really care. Devastating loss. Heartbreaking 💔
I hate when people have these Final Destination deaths…freaks me out!
Sad news. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve seen him in. I can’t count the number of times I’ve done the same thing in my own driveway. Quickly get out to grab something or run back into the garage.
It’s just so awful, I feel at loss for words. Such a huge talent – such a great loss. We were the same age, I’ve seen most of his movies and always thought he had a bright future ahead of him. I can’t believe he’s gone. My thoughts are with his family and friends.
Brilliant actor, very sad news 🙁
So sad, and such an awful way to go. I’ve been a fan of his since Huff, that Showtime Hank Azaria show.
I remember him as Bird from the Hank Azaria show on showtime (good show). This story is just so strange. I’m still confused by it. When I first read it I thought it was a joke. Just so bizarre.
I Loved Him jn “like crazy” and “fierce people”
RIP, Anton!
So, so sad especially considering circumstances. And so young…just not fair. By reading messages his costars and people who knew him left, he seemed like a lovely young man.
I honestly felt sick when I heard this. So talented and just a kid! Never heard a negative word about him. He was apparently an only child and very close to his parents. I hope they have endless love and support right now because I just cannot fathom their pain. RIP
My son is 27….I cannot imagine the pain his parents and loved ones are going through….RIiP Anton….
It’s devastating. What a tragic loss. His poor family.
This is one celebrity death that really made me feel gutted. I loved Anton. He was such a gem – and he just seemed like such a great person as well. So talented and kind.
I had suuuuch a crush on him in Charlie Bartlett. It’s always really sobering when someone in your age range dies – especially when it’s not from suicide or overdoses like most of hollywood sadly succumbs to. This one was just a terrifying freak accident.
I remember him from Charlie Bartlett too. He was cute and confident, but still sweet. It’s such a shame. He was so young. May he rest in peace.
I fell in love with him when he was in Alpha Dog. Such an incredible actor, gone too soon.
Me too! He was the best actor in a movie full of amazing actors. I think I’m gonna have to rewatch it soon.
Same here!
Alpha Dog is an awesome movie. He did a superb job in it. He was a brilliant actor. I loved him in Like Crazy also. This is is so sad. Feels like it could have been prevented somehow.
RIP. What an awful way to die. We are all familiar with his boyish face but somehow we don’t know his name. He’d been around Hollywood since he was a child, even playing leads in some big budgeted movies. Maybe he had a long, fruitful career because he was pleasant to work with. Green Room and Odd Thomas are my favorite movies of Anton.
I have a child close to his age and reading this news just broke my heart yesterday, the poor guy, his parents…heartbreaking!! RIP Anton!!
Loved watching him in Fright Night 2, was such a cheesy movie, but he was delightful in it.
I rented that movie with absolutely no expectations, for the sole reason that my beloved David Tennant had a part in it. Anton actually made it enjoyable. He was one of those rare actors who could elevate the material. This really sucks. Hasn’t 2016 had enough yet?
When I heard the news, I hoped it was a hoax. Such a sweet, unassuming guy. So talented. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. Rest in peace.
RIP Anton. This just goes to show how important it is to live each day fully. Never know when your time will come.
Not to get off topic – but Jeep is a dangerous vehicle.
I rented one and within 15 minutes it caught on fire. I pulled over and it burst into flames and was destroyed. The rental company sent the car back to Jeep and it was determined that “it was half and half their faults. I am about to sue Jeep and Enterprise Rental.
I will never drive another Jeep again.
Oh my God. Burst into flames? You are so lucky to be here! I’ve never heard anything about Jeeps, but this is shocking. I wish you luck with your lawsuit.
Burst into flames.
Its on YouTube. Clearly I had already run off into the darkness down the highway screaming but a passerby caught it.
It was a nightmare.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAffaLvoRIo
Wow. Ok, never buying a Jeep now. Wow.
OMG, you are really lucky! I am glad you are fine.
I was at a local bar in Brookline last year and a woman told me her car was caught in flames and I thought how lucky she was to be alive!
Yep. I have a Jeep Liberty 2008 and I could go on and on with the near death experiences I’ve had because of its faults. Not being dramatic at all, unfortunately. When my daughter was a newborn the calipers locked up and the wheels got so hot the car seized up and went careening off the road. I’ve replaced faulty breaks FOUR times. The automatic shut off gauge in the gas tank broke and soaked me with gasoline (and flooded the surrounding area). The gear shift jammed so when in reverse it wouldn’t “stay” there. The emergency break does NOTHING – you can drive along perfectly with it engaged. Could go on and on. That being said my husband inherited a 2007 Wrangler and hasn’t had a single problem.
Either way I hope the manufacturers are held responsible for this young mans death. He seemed lovely and that is simply tragic.
Jesus. Get rid of it. And I don’t mean sell it, I mean drive to a remote location and set it on fire.
This is so sad. You should check out Karl Urban’s tweet, very heartbreaking.
Rest in power Anton.
I looked through internet hoping to find out that this was just a sick joke but no…
So sad.
I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee and I recently received a recall notice stating the gear shift was very sensitive and it may not go into Park mode and to always check before exiting the car. Jeep stated they were working on a solution because customers have been having issues — I know I have almost exited my car while it was in Reverse mode without me knowing. Scary.
If this is true then Jeep is about to face a major PR disaster and a possible high profile lawsuit. Sad that someone famous had to die for this problem to gain attention, but I definitely will not be buying a Jeep Grand Cherokee anytime in the near future.
I cannt believe this! So sad. That really is a freak accident.
This makes me so sad. It’s just way too awful on so many levels. And to think this young man had such a bright future ahead of him…
Life REALLY sucks sometimes.
I so liked him as an actor. He brought this self-depricating element to his role in Star Trek, it was so refreshing, a joy to watch!
This one makes me really sad. Twenty-seven, Jesus. What a freaking nightmare for all the people who loved him, who apparently were legion.
What a shame. I loved him in the movie 5 to 7, which actually melted my little black heart.
I feel bad because 5-7 was the last movie I saw him in, and I didn’t like him in it at all and couldn’t buy him as the romantic lead.
But I did like him as an actor, and I know he was very talented. Odd Thomas might be my favorite of his performances, but I haven’t seen all of his films. This is just such a sad, sad story.
5-7 is one of my favorites too…just discovered it about two months ago…so very sad
When you are in your 20s death is something that happens to someone else.. someone older.. someone who has lived a full life. This is such a stark reminder of the brevity of life. He is a few years older than me and this strikes me so hard.
So sad -RIP. His career was really starting to take off – he’s a talent that will be missed.
My son and I are huge fans of Anton Yelchin. This is very sad news. Thank you so much for the coverage. My heart goes out to his loved ones.
If you guys like silly, tongue in cheek horror movies, check him out as “Odd Thomas”. Willem Dafoe plays his dad. It is one of our favorite Anton Yelchin films. I had forgotten he was in the Fright Night remake, I loved him in that one with Colin Farrell.
So sad by this. Adorable, sweet, talented man.
Thoughts go out to his parents. To have to bury your only child. That is heartbreaking in and of itself.
Holy shit, how heart breaking. I only first noticed him in Like Crazy and instantly fell in love with him. Such a talent and seemed like such a sweet soul.
Gigi – you’re correct about the shift problem. 1.1 million cars were recalled by Chrysler in April.
So here’s the problem – when you are shifting gears you have a physical action that accompanies moving the car from drive, park and reverse. The gears is also marked. In a automatic or standard the gear moves forward (towards the front of the car to park. It to another position for reverse. In the middle for neutral. Another gear to park. I apologize for the clumsy explanation.
In the recalled Chryslers the gear stays in the middle. It’s difficult for the driver to know if they are in neutral or park. I believe there are over 40,000 accidents and 41 fatalities currently.
Chrysler is going to have a helluva a lawsuit on it’s hands.
This is such a tragedy, I can’t even imagine how devastated his parents must be. RIP 🙁
Unbelievable! I had such a crush on this young man. He was very handsome and talented. I never sought out his movies but each time he graced the screen I just knew I was in for a treat. You guys are going to hate me but I shipped he and Kstew which says a lot more about him than her. They are around the same age and with her track record of having a jump off from films I had a whole fabricated backstory where she tried to get some Anton and he would be like, ‘nah, pass!’ He also starred with JLaw too. So in my mind he was that wholesome to recognize the value of keeping it professional with his co-stars no matter how big or beautiful. Of course these have no corroboration from any sources but goes to show you how highly I thought of him! I just kept saying ‘watch out Hollywood this one will take you by storm’ and fantasized about a long, fruitful career for him. This is so devastating. I can’t think of any other young men his age that made this impact on me. Jeep Cherokee or Chrysler burn! Anton, sweetie, RIP.
So, so sad. I hate 2016 so much.
So tragic, my deepest condolences to his family and friends. I really enjoyed his acting.
What a sad, freaky accident. What a loss. My thoughts and prayers are with this young man’s family. 🙁
So so sad to hear about this. I really loved him as an actor, and will miss his talent.
So very, very sad! Always use the E-brake, ladies! I’m always scoldin my husband for not doing that- hem’ll be getting an earful tonight. Just so tragic, I can’t imagine what his family and friends are going through
This is hearbreaking. Only last month i visited his IMDB page and downloaded a bunch of his movies. Like crazy, Charlie Bartlett, Odd Thomas, 5 to 7. I was just planning on watching The Driftless Area. He was an exceptionally talented actor who pulled me in with each and every one of his performance. RIP Anton!
Gosh this makes me sick to my stomach. When such a great person dies in such a freak way?! The worlds needed more of him. My Jesus be with his family and friends. So many prayers because tragic like this never makes sense.
I hope he didn’t suffer. I hope, if he was conscious before he succumbed, he was able to have some sense of peace.
Simply tragic. Always, always, ALWAYS use your parking brake before exiting your vehicle, people. Always, no exceptions.
Can I say something Celebitchy? That note from JJ Abrams? I feel like he rewrote it dozens of times and then snapped it for social media, for himself. I feel likes it’s kind of more for show than for sorrow.
I did too. Like he is saying “look. I took the time to hand write my note then take a pic”. Like just the Twitter remembrances were somehow less 😔
I see Lindsay Lohan tweeted too, blaming “Hollywood” for his death. Which is weird, because accidents like this could happen anywhere.
I guess there will always be people who use the deaths of others for attention. It’s sad, but it shows what they’re really like.
Poor Anton. And his poor parents. I’m so sad for their loss. 🙁
Hearts in Atlantis. Watch it.
RIP 🙁
I instantly fell in love with him when I saw Charlie Bartlett nearly 10 years ago. I am incredibly sad and shocked by the news. 27 is way too long. RIP. You will be missed.
This is such a tragic story! He was probably my favorite part of the Star Trek reboot.
People have made fun of me, including my family, but I always put the parking brake on every time I park the car, even if I’m just getting out to get the mail. Partly because I used to drive a manual transmission, but also just to have a safety net in case of weird stuff like this. Like that 10-year-old girl who died pushing two younger kids out of the way after another car shifted into neutral.
Yeah, I learned on a standard transmission and to this day I always put on the parking brake, and lock the wheels when I park on an incline.
I learned on a manual too. And it’s just second nature at this point to always put my parking brake on.
Loved him in Charlie Bartlett and Fierce People. Will have to watch out Like Crazy since everyone on here seems to love it.
Absolutely devastating, and it’s extra sad to me how much he was clearly adored by his fans, I hope he knew how appreciated he was. The big headlines are all about Star Trek but he was so much more interesting than that, his career was full of good smart choices that only would have grown. Utterly heartsickened by this, I was looking forward to seeing what he did next. My thoughts are with his family, I cannot imagine their pain, I am also an only child and it’s a terrible loss to imagine.
Super sad. If you haven’t, please watch Like Crazy. RIP, Anton.
So sad – he was a favorite of mine.
Absolutely tragic and senseless. RIP young man and condolences to his family.
We heard at work yesterday and we’re stunned. I feel so bad for his parents. This was just a terrible thing to happen.
Just read a report from another website that his Jeep was recalled due to transmission/gear problems and that it seems he never got it fixed (or more than likely didn’t know). I figured that had to be the case. He went to open the gate and thinking he put the car in park, it rolled back. Makes it seem all the more tragic and senseless.
This is so sad. I can’t imagine his parents heartache
Just heartbreaking, so young and talented. RIP Anton.
I’ve seen him in so many films and was so sadden to hear the news.
His accident sounds like a real tragedy.
Anton was a wonderful young actor. Such a talent.
My husband told me this morning. This makes me ugly cry. I’ve loved Anton Yelchin since I first saw him in Charlie Bartlett.
Waking up to the news of his passing was a shock.
He was a wonderful actor.
My prayers go out to his friends & family.
He did sooo many projects. I was unaware. Many actors much older have not been able to do that much and quality stuff too
Tragic news. So young, so talented:(
I remember him what back in Along Came a Spider with Morgan Freeman. It was interesting to watch his career progress as he navigated from child actor to young adult actor. He had a good mix of indies and blockbusters like Star Trek. He had a really good range and probably would’ve had a long character-actor career ahead of him. Just horrible and to read he was an only child just made me feel worse. His poor parents. I don’t envy his co-stars, who seem to really love him, the upcoming promotional tour in the wake of this tragedy.
One of the worst parts for me about this is that he passed on Father’s Day. Imagine getting that phone call that morning. 😥
Absolutely devastating and horrible. My thoughts are with his loved ones. I cannot imagine the horror.
So sad for his family n. Would be sad anyway but he’s an only child. Hope didn’t suffer too much. Must have been very frightening
I was disappointed in Entertainment Tonight. They were discussing his death tonight and then said “and now to the BIG story of the night..” and proceeded to yap about basketball. It was tacky.
I was so hoping that Anton would be cast in Outlander since he’s a dead ringer for a younger Sam Heughan.
I was so saddened to hear that Anton Yelchin had died. 🙁
I loved him in Star Trek. I’m Ukrainian, and appreciated the little touches of Russian he added, like yelling “Ya mayu” (я маю, which means “got it”) after he grabbed Kirk and Sulu with the transporter during their freefall above Vulcan, and “Ay, ay, ay!” on the bridge, which I heard around my house all the time.
My heart goes out to his family. It’s such a tragic and senseless accident, and I just hope he didn’t suffer. He always seemed like such a sweet guy and the world is poorer in his absence. RIP Anton.
So sad, I liked this kid.
Gone too soon. My prayers for him and his family.