'Star Trek' actor Anton Yelchin dies in car crash at age 27

[spaminator]

'Star Trek' actor Anton Yelchin dies in car crash at age 27
Lindsey Bahr And Sandy Cohen, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First posted: Sunday, June 19, 2016 02:11 PM EDT | Updated: Sunday, June 19, 2016 02:23 PM EDT
LOS ANGELES -- Anton Yelchin, a charismatic and rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the new "Star Trek" films, has died at the age of 27. He was killed in a fatal traffic collision early Sunday morning, his publicist, Jennifer Allen confirmed.
Yelchin started small with roles in indie films and various television shows, before breaking out in films like the crime thriller "Alpha Dog" and the teenage comedy "Charlie Bartlett." His biggest role to date has been in the rebooted "Star Trek" films -- the third of which, "Star Trek Beyond" comes out in July.
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. Yelchin's family requests privacy at this time.
FILE - In this June 11, 2015, file photo, Anton Yelchin arrives at a special screening of "Burying the Ex" held at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. Yelchin, a charismatic and rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the new "Star Trek" films, has died at the age of 27. He was killed in a fatal traffic collision early Sunday morning, June 19, 2016, his publicist confirmed.

'Star Trek' actor Anton Yelchin dies in car crash at age 27 | Celebrities | Ente

 

[SLM]

That's such a shame, he was so young. I've seen him in a lot of things over the years, I always enjoyed him.

 

[spaminator]

That's such a shame, he was so young. I've seen him in a lot of things over the years, I always enjoyed him.

he also played kyle reese in terminator salvation.

 

[SLM]

he also played kyle reese in terminator salvation.

He's been acting since he was a child. I remember him in Hearts in Atlantis.

 

[Ludlow]

It can be pretty treacherous on the roads these days. My father was a traffic fatality. A young man it's tragic for him and his family and friends. Rest in peace wherever you are.

 

[Nick Danger]

I read somewhere else that this was more of a freak accident, he exited his car in his own driveway and somehow became pinned between the rear of the vehicle and a mailbox at the bottom of his steep driveway. Friends went looking for him when he didn't show for a scheduled rehearsal and found him deceased.

 

[B00Mer]

Very sad.. R.I.P.

 

[Danbones]

off across that final frontier
RIP

 

[spaminator]

I read somewhere else that this was more of a freak accident, he exited his car in his own driveway and somehow became pinned between the rear of the vehicle and a mailbox at the bottom of his steep driveway. Friends went looking for him when he didn't show for a scheduled rehearsal and found him deceased.

'Star Trek' actor Anton Yelchin killed by own car in freak accident
Lindsey Bahr And Sandy Cohen, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First posted: Sunday, June 19, 2016 02:11 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, June 20, 2016 01:36 AM EDT
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 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 Los Angeles, Officer Jenny Hosier said. 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 and who had great artistic ambition. "Star Trek Beyond," the third film in the rebooted series, comes out in July.
Director J.J. Abrams, who cast Yelchin in the franchise, wrote in a statement that he was "brilliant ... kind ... funny as hell, and supremely talented."
His death was felt throughout the industry.
"What a rare and beautiful soul with his unstoppable passion for life," Jodie Foster said. "He was equal parts serious thinker and the most fun little brother you could ever dream of."
Yelchin co-starred in Foster's 2011 film "The Beaver."
"He was a ferocious movie buff who put us all to shame," said Gabe Klinger, who directed Yelchin in the upcoming film "Porto," likely to be released this fall. "He was watching four or five movies every night."
Klinger said Yelchin had a particular affinity for silent films.
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 teen roles in films such as the crime thriller "Alpha Dog" and the 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."
The discipline that Yelchin learned from his athlete parents translated into his work as an actor, which he treated with seriousness and professionalism, said Klinger, the director.
He drew on his Russian roots for his role as the heavily accented navigator Chekov in the "Star Trek" films, his most high-profile to date.
"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 seemed to fit in anywhere in Hollywood. He could do big sci-fi franchises and vocal work in "The Smurfs," while also appearing 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 favourite that came out earlier this year.
Klinger recalled a conversation with Jarmusch about Yelchin before Klinger cast him in "Porto."
"Jim was like, 'Watch out. Anton read Dostoyevsky when he was like 11 years old!'" Klinger said.
The director said that for Yelchin, every film was an opportunity to learn and study more. He admired Nicolas Cage's laser-focus on the Paul Schrader film "Dying of the Light" and also got to work with one of his acting heroes, Willem Dafoe, on the film "Odd Thomas."
"He used to refer to Willem as an artist, not an actor," Klinger said. "That's the kind of actor he aspired to be, where people didn't regard him as an actor, they regarded him as an artist."
Yelchin's publicist, Jennifer Allen, confirmed his death and said his family requests privacy.
'Star Trek' actor Anton Yelchin killed by own car in freak accident | Celebritie

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

They let this guy drive a starship?

 

[MHz]

Apparently 'the force' wasn't with him when he was off the set.

 

[spaminator]

SUV that rolled, killed 'Star Trek' actor Anton Yelchin was under recall
Lindsey Bahr And Tom Krisher, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First posted: Monday, June 20, 2016 02:49 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, June 20, 2016 04:25 PM EDT
LOS ANGELES -- The SUV that rolled down a driveway and killed "Star Trek" actor Anton Yelchin was being recalled because the gear shifters have confused drivers, causing the vehicles to roll away unexpectedly, government records show.
Yelchin, 27, a rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the rebooted series, died Sunday after his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee pinned him against a mailbox pillar and security fence at his home, Los Angeles police said.
The 2015 model-year Grand Cherokees were part of a global recall of 1.1 million vehicles announced by automaker Fiat Chrysler in April, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records show.
The agency urged the recall because of complaints from drivers who had trouble telling if they had put the automatic transmissions in park. If they were not in park and a driver left the vehicle, it could roll away.
Fiat Chrysler expected to send recall notification letters to owners on May 16, according to a memo to dealers, but it's not known whether Yelchin received or saw his letter. The company was working on a fix and expected to have a final remedy in October or later, the letter said.
Investigators were looking into the position of Yelchin's gear shift at the time of the accident, Officer Jane Kim said. The actor had gotten out of the vehicle momentarily, but police didn't say why he was behind it when it started rolling.
Fiat Chrysler said in a statement Monday that it was investigating and it was premature to speculate on the cause of the crash. It offered sympathies to Yelchin's friends and family.
As of April, the company had reports of 212 crashes, 41 injuries and 308 property damage claims potentially caused by the shifters, it said in documents filed with the government.
The recalled vehicles, including nearly 812,000 in the U.S., have an electronic shift lever that toggles forward or backward to let the driver select the gear instead of moving along a track like a conventional shifter. A light shows which gear is selected, but to get from drive to park, drivers must push the lever forward three times.
The recalled vehicles sound a chime and issue a dashboard warning if the driver's door is opened while they are not in park. But the push-button ignition won't shut off the engine if not in park, increasing the risk of the vehicles rolling away after drivers have gotten out.
The Grand Cherokee gear shifters were changed in the 2016 model year so that it works like those in older cars.
Coroner's officials ruled Yelchin's death an accident after an autopsy. The results of any toxicology tests would not be known for months, coroner spokesman Ed Winter said.
Yelchin's friends found him dead after he failed to show up for an audition early Sunday.
His death tragically cut short the promising career of an actor whom audiences were still getting to know and who had great artistic ambition. "Star Trek Beyond," the third film in the series, comes out in July.
Director J.J. Abrams, who cast Yelchin in the franchise, wrote in a statement that he was "brilliant ... kind ... funny as hell, and supremely talented."
Jodie Foster, who co-starred with Yelchin in the 2011 film "The Beaver," called the actor "a rare and beautiful soul with his unstoppable passion for life. He was equal parts serious thinker and the most fun little brother you could ever dream of."
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" before receiving his breakout big-screen role opposite Anthony Hopkins in 2001's "Hearts in Atlantis."
Yelchin, an only child, was born in Russia. His parents, who were professional figure skaters, 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," Yelchin told The Associated Press in 2011. "There was something about it that I just felt completely comfortable doing and happy doing."

SUV that rolled, killed 'Star Trek' actor Anton Yelchin was under recall | Celeb

 

[MHz]

I stand corrected, no way he deserved to die like this.

 

[spaminator]

I stand corrected, no way he deserved to die like this.

agreed.

 

[WLDB]

They let this guy drive a starship?

No, Sulu drives.

 

[spaminator]

J.J. Abrams: 'Star Trek' won't replace Anton Yelchin

By Jim Slotek, Postmedia Network First posted: Thursday, July 14, 2016 05:30 PM EDT | Updated: Thursday, July 14, 2016 06:49 PM EDT
LOS ANGELES - With the imminent release of Star Trek Beyond - the third of the J.J. Abrams era of Trek films – a fourth is already, “100% yes,” says producer Abrams.
But what happens to the character of Ensign Pavel Chekhov, following the freakish auto mishap that killed 27-year-old actor Anton Yelchin a month ago?
In an exclusive Postmedia interview, Abrams said the filmmakers have begun talks on dealing with his loss in the script. But one thing that is certain is that Chekhov will not be recast.
“I would say there’s no replacing him. There’s no recasting. I can’t possibly imagine that, and I think Anton deserves better,” Abrams said.
In Star Trek Beyond, directed by Justin Lin, Yelchin’s character gets his most screen time thus far, as an encounter with a malevolent alien swarm forces the Enterprise crew to abandon ship and survive on a planet in small teams - Chekhov and Captain Kirk (Christopher Pine) among them.
We have testimonials to Yelchin from Pine and other Star Trek cast that are to come.
Meanwhile, Abrams says, “We knew going into this movie it would be a bit of a heartbreak just because of Leonard (Nimoy, the original Spock, who died as Star Trek beyond was in pre-production, and whose death is noted in the plot). We had no idea just how devastating events would become.”
Is the character of Chekov himself going to be killed off? “I have thought about it, we’re working on it, and it’s too early to talk about it,” he said.
Twitter: @jimslotek
JSlotek@postmedia.com

J.J. Abrams: 'Star Trek' won't replace Anton Yelchin | Movies | Entertainment |

 

[spaminator]

Anton Yelchin died without a will, has nearly $1.4M estate
Anthony McCartney, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First posted: Monday, August 01, 2016 11:21 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, August 01, 2016 11:52 PM EDT
LOS ANGELES -- Anton Yelchin's parents have filed court documents indicating the "Star Trek" actor died without a will and left behind a nearly $1.4 million estate.
Court records show Victor and Irina Yelchin filed to become administrators of their son's estate on Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court. The actor died on June 19 when he was crushed by his Jeep Grand Cherokee in the driveway of his Studio City home.
The filing states Yelchin left behind at least $641,000 in personal property and had $731,000 in equity in his home.
The 27-year-old actor played Pavel Chekov in the rebooted "Star Trek" franchise. The latest film in the franchise, "Star Trek Beyond," has grossed more than $106 million in its first two weekends domestically.
An attorney who represents Yelchin's parents announced Monday that they are planning to file a wrongful death lawsuit on Tuesday against Fiat Chrysler, which made the Jeep that killed their son.
The company extended sympathies to Yelchin's family in a statement, but said it could not comment on their plans for a lawsuit.
The actor's vehicle was subject to a recall because the gear shifters have confused drivers, causing the vehicles to roll away unexpectedly. The SUV was part of a global recall of 1.1 million vehicles by automaker Fiat Chrysler in April.
A government investigation into the gear shifters found 266 crashes that had injured 68 people as of late June.
Fiat Chrysler has said it is speeding up its recall of the vehicle.
The estate filing was first reported Monday by celebrity website TMZ.
Anton Yelchin. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

http://torontosun.ca/2016/08/01/anton-yelchin-died-without-a-will-has-nearly-14m-estate

 

[spaminator]

Anton Yelchin's parents sue Fiat Chrysler over crash
Anthony McCartney, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First posted: Tuesday, August 02, 2016 03:33 PM EDT | Updated: Tuesday, August 02, 2016 03:40 PM EDT
LOS ANGELES -- The parents of "Star Trek" actor Anton Yelchin on Tuesday sued the makers of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, an SUV that was under recall when it crushed and killed the 27-year-old.
Victor and Irina Yelchin filed the wrongful-death and product-liability lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler in Los Angeles Superior Court roughly six weeks after their son was killed. The suit contends that the gear selector in the actor's Jeep was defective and poorly designed and manufactured.
"Anton Yelchin was crushed and lingered alive for some time, trapped and suffocating until his death," the lawsuit says.
The actor's Jeep rolled backward down the driveway of his Los Angeles home June 19, pinning him between a mailbox and a security fence. The SUV was among 1.1 million vehicles recalled in April because its gear shifters have confused drivers, causing the vehicles to roll away unexpectedly and leading to dozens of injuries.
Fiat Chrysler extended its sympathies to Yelchin's parents but said it could not comment on the lawsuit because it had not been served with it.
The suit does not say how much Yelchin's parents are seeking in damages. His mother cried as the family's attorney, Gary A. Dordick, said at a press conference that the automaker "put profits before safety."
Yelchin received a safety recall notice in May, and another notice was sent to the actor seven days after he died notifying him that the company had a fix for the gear shifter, Dordick said.
"The safety recall was way too little and way too late," the attorney said.
The lawsuit says Yelchin's SUV did not engage or maintain its "park" gear and that led to the vehicle crushing the actor. Dordick said he believes Yelchin went back in to his home to retrieve something and thought the car was in "park."
Yelchin is perhaps best known for his role as Pavel Chekov in the rebooted "Star Trek" franchise. The third film in the series, "Star Trek Beyond," has grossed more than $106 million in the U.S. in its first two weekends.
The actor was the Yelchins' only son, and they have filed to oversee his estate, which is valued at nearly $1.4 million. Anton Yelchin left behind several unreleased projects, including the Netflix animated series "Trollhunters" and four films.
Drivers of the Jeep under recall have complained that they had trouble telling if they put the transmission in "park" after stopping. Many reported the vehicles rolled off after the driver exited.
A government investigation into the gear shifters found 266 crashes that had injured 68 people as of late June.
Fiat Chrysler has said it is speeding up its recall of the vehicle. Both the company and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have urged drivers of vehicles subject to the gear shift recall to set their parking brakes before getting out of their vehicles.
In this April 18, 2015 file photo, actor Anton Yelchin attends the Tribeca Film Festival world premiere of "The Driftless Area" in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Anton Yelchin's parents sue Fiat Chrysler over crash | Celebrities | Entertainme

 

[spaminator]

'Star Trek' star Anton Yelchin's death a result of his own Jeep 'misuse,' alleges car company
WENN.com
First posted: Thursday, October 06, 2016 07:57 AM EDT | Updated: Thursday, October 06, 2016 08:11 AM EDT
Anton Yelchin’s death was a result of his own “misuse, misapplication, or damage” of his Jeep, the Chrysler dealership in Valencia, Calif., has claimed.
The Star Trek star was killed in a freak car accident in June, when he was pinned between a brick pillar and his vehicle after it rolled backwards down the steep driveway of his home in the San Fernando Valley, Calif.
His parents Victor and Irina Yelchin are suing executives at Fiat Chrysler, alleging the gear selector in the 27-year-old’s Jeep Grand Cherokee was defective.
However, the company has now filed its response to the lawsuit, asking the judge to remove them from the case because they had nothing to do with the accident.
The dealership lists a host of reasons they should not be held responsible for Yelchin’s death, including the fact that the actor’s “misuse, misapplication, or damage” of his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee led to the accident that killed him.
While it’s not stated in the documents, obtained by TMZ.com, the outlet reports “the dealer seems to be hinting Anton made aftermarket changes that damaged the SUV.”
The company also claims Yelchin’s parents have not preserved the vehicle since the accident, meaning the critical evidence in the case has therefore been compromised.
Following the accident, Fiat Chrysler chiefs launched an investigation into Yelchin’s incident, while they were also hit with a class action lawsuit from fellow car owners days after the actor’s accident.
After the Yelchins filed their lawsuit against the company, their attorney Gary A. Dordick, revealed a recall letter for the vehicle was sent to the actor a month before his death and a week after he was killed.
“The safety recall was way too little and way too late,” Dordick said. “We hope this lawsuit will teach them a lesson.”
Anton Yelchin in Star Trek. (Handout photo)

'Star Trek' star Anton Yelchin's death a result of his own Jeep 'misuse,' allege

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

So. . . he's still dead?