Anton Yelchin biography, nationality, parents, age and cause of death

Biography of Anton Yelchin

Anton Yelchin, a native of the USSR, achieved recognition in Hollywood. He began his acting career in 2000 as a child and brought to life more than 60 roles. His most famous ones are probably Bobby Garfield from the movie "Hearts in Atlantis" and Pavel Chekov from "Star Trek." He worked with renowned directors like Jim Jarmusch, Scott Hicks, and J.J. Abrams. His career was skyrocketing, and Anton had great prospects. Unfortunately, in 2016, his life was tragically cut short due to a freak accident.

American actor of Russian origin Anton Yelchin

Childhood and Family

Anton Yelchin was born on March 11, 1989, in Leningrad, into a sports family. The names of his parents were familiar to every Soviet citizen who cared about figure skating – Viktor Arkadyevich and Irina Grigoryevna Yelchin performed as a pair. In 1972, the stars of the Leningrad Ice Ballet were given the right to represent the country at the Olympics, but the decision was later annulled due to their Jewish nationality.

Six months after their son's birth, the Yelchins received refugee status and emigrated to the United States, settling in California. There, Viktor began a coaching career (including mentoring Olympic champion Sasha Cohen), and Irina became a producer of grand ice shows. At first, the family spoke only Russian, so Anton's first words were in his native language. However, he grew up bilingual, speaking both Russian and English equally well.

The child's childhood was happy, as his former athlete parents had hoped. The boy listened with mixed feelings to his father's stories about how they lived in a tiny apartment that was smaller than just Anton's bedroom in their American home. When he was fussy and didn't want to share treats, they told him stories about the Siege of Leningrad and the unfortunate people who had to eat shoe soles and belts.

Anton didn't become a figure skater – he was bad at skating. The reason might have been cystic fibrosis, which he suffered from, as this disease affects the respiratory organs. To the credit of Irina and Viktor, they didn't force him to follow in their athletic footsteps.

Back in 1989, just after moving to the U.S., Irina shared that a stranger on the street admired the baby in the stroller: 'What a cutie! He's definitely going to be an actor.'

When Anton was in the 5th grade, his parents took him to a social event where a professional actor was among the guests. He looked at young Yelchin and recommended he take acting classes. Seeing that their son was growing into a charismatic personality who loved being the center of attention, they started taking him to auditions when he was about 11 years old.

First Roles

In 2000, the young boy landed his first role as Robbie Edelstein in the TV series "ER." His character appeared in the episode "Be Still My Heart" (Season 6, Episode 13).

That same year marked Yelchin's debut in a feature film with a small role in the musical "A Man Is Mostly Water." In the action movie "15 Minutes," Anton didn't get those proverbial 15 minutes, but his role as a boy trying to escape a burning building was well received.

In the movie "Along Came a Spider," Anton played the son of the Russian president, Dmitry Starodubov, who is kidnapped by criminals obsessed with becoming world-class offenders.

Anton Yelchin in the movie 'Along Came a Spider'

But Anton's first truly serious role came in 2001. It was the lead role in the adaptation of Stephen King's novel "Hearts in Atlantis," where his co-star was the inimitable Anthony Hopkins.

Anton Yelchin and Anthony Hopkins in the movie 'Hearts in Atlantis'

The experienced colleague suggested the boy call him simply "Tony," but Anton was too shy to be so familiar and addressed Hopkins as "Sir" until the end of filming. The project's director, Scott Hicks, claimed that "Anton is an incredibly intelligent and well-read boy." The story of the touching friendship between a boy and an old man, spiced with the 60s vibe and a touch of mysticism, was highly appreciated by the audience. While for Hopkins it was one of many victories, for young Yelchin, the premiere opened new heights.

Teenage Years

After "Hearts in Atlantis," several notable works appeared in Yelchin's "childhood" filmography. For example, he played Jack in the drama "Jack," which teaches the importance of being grateful for what you have and loving life despite its hardships. Or, young Tom in "House of D," who experiences first love and the loss of a loved one. This time, Anton's co-stars included David Duchovny and Robin Williams.

People also remember his role in the drama "Fierce People." Here, he played the son of a successful doctor and anthropologist who are divorced and desperately vying for the teenager's attention. "Among the rest, only Anton Yelchin's character is perceived positively. An extraordinarily confident performance," critics wrote.

From 2004 to 2006, Yelchin also starred in the tragicomedy series "Huff," about an unconventional psychotherapist who becomes disillusioned with his abilities after a patient commits suicide. Anton played the main character's son. Viewers liked this curly-haired youth, his genuine childlike innocence, and how he could convey a wide range of emotions and the inner world of his characters with just one look.

Despite his busy schedule, Anton attended school, did well academically, and his favorite subject was math. After graduating, he applied to college. "But I quickly realized I wouldn't make a good lawyer or anything like that," the actor recalled. Another passion of his was music. He played guitar in his band The Hammerheads.

Career Breakthrough

Most viewers confidently answered, "In 'Alpha Dog'!" when asked where they first saw Anton Yelchin. In this drama based on real events, Anton played the lead role of Zack, a teenager unlucky enough to be the younger brother of local drug dealer Jake. Jake owed a large sum to another dealer, Johnny, and disappeared. Johnny's enforcers, only slightly older than Zack, kidnapped him and brought him to Johnny's house. Zack, however, didn't realize he was a hostage. He had fun, hanging out with older, interesting guys and then with pretty girls. But business is business, and Zack's fate was sealed. Alongside the young but already established Anton, the film featured Justin Timberlake and Ben Foster.

Anton Yelchin and Justin Timberlake in 'Alpha Dog'

At the beginning of the film, you can see snippets of home videos with little kids. These are actual recordings of the film's actors. Anton appears last. In 2009, Anton got his most recognizable role as Pavel Chekov, the navigator in the reboot of the 'Star Trek' franchise. According to the actor, he wouldn't have been interested in playing a "simple Russian," but Chekov was different. The character had a 40-year history and was an outstanding individual.

His transition from indie films to first-tier Hollywood blockbusters was swift. "I was just invited to audition, and here I am," Anton modestly answered such questions.

“He's not a negative character, he's very positive. You see, it's a very good portrayal of a Russian person for the whole world, unlike, say, 'Red Dawn.'”

In the same year, Anton appeared in the fourth 'Terminator' film, cementing the success of 'Star Trek.' This time, viewers saw him as young Kyle Reese, a future resistance fighter against artificial intelligence and a single father in the movie.

“Kyle Reese is very complex. He's so paranoid and angry, yet very touching and tender, very lonely.”

In 2013, the actor appeared not only in the 'Star Trek' sequel but also in the vampire film 'Only Lovers Left Alive' by art-house master Jim Jarmusch, joining a fantastic cast that included Tilda Swinton, Mia Wasikowska, and John Hurt.

'Star Trek': Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov

Personal Life of Anton Yelchin

During his short life, Anton never found the one who would become the love of his life. But each of his former partners remembered their time together fondly.

In 2004, Anton dated young actress Kristen Stewart – she was 14 or 15. "He broke my heart. His soul was immense, and I wanted to absorb all his interests. I wanted to be better, cooler, and... I still felt unworthy of him," the actress later recalled.

A few years after their breakup, Anton was the first to call Kristen and ask if she wanted to talk about it. He said, "I understand what you went through back then. I'm so sorry..." Since then, Anton wasn't seen in serious relationships. He was rumored to have romances with model Alexandra Burman and actress Imogen Poots, with whom Anton starred in "Fright Night" (2011) and "Green Room" (2015). However, there were no official confirmations of their relationships.

Death

Anton Yelchin's life ended on June 19, 2016, due to a tragic accident. The 27-year-old actor's body was found at the entrance to his Los Angeles home. He decided to take a selfie on the hood of his Jeep Grand Cherokee but forgot to put it in park. The car rolled and pinned Anton against a brick wall.

The Strange Death of Hollywood Actor Anton Yelchin

His friends found the body. He was supposed to meet them in a few hours, and when he stopped responding, they decided to visit him, but it was too late. The official cause of Anton Yelchin's death was asphyxia.

It's hard to imagine what his parents went through. His room in their house remains untouched: everything is as if he had just stepped out and would return soon. Victor and Irina struggled to come to terms with his death. They didn't believe the handbrake was the reason. A week after Anton's death, Fiat Chrysler sent a recall letter to his house due to issues with the transmission.

The Yelchins sued Chrysler for a long time but eventually reached a settlement as the case hit a dead end. His mother began writing a book about her son, and his father started working on a documentary film. The film "Love, Antosha" was released in 2019. Since Anton's death, his parents no longer celebrate holidays.

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