2016 has been in a word, cruel. Legends have been passing away left and right and very sadly,Star TrekactorAnton Yelchinhas passed away at the young age of 27.Yelchinhas been a very strong talent in Hollywood for most of his life and he was very much a star on the rise and one that we loved to watch. The entertainment community and fans alike have been reeling ever since the news broke.
The news was firstreportedon Sunday morning and was later confirmed byYealchin’s publicist. Often times when someone dies at such a young age, there appears to be some sort of foul play or self induced, tragedy to it. What is perhaps most frustrating and sad for fans ofYelchinis that it seems like a total freak accident. He was found by his friends early in the morning, pinned by his car against a brick mailbox and security gate, apparentlycrushed to deathby his own vehicle, and no foul play is suspected.
Yelchingot his start at a very young age and has been consistently delivering very high quality work ever since. What was particularly great aboutYelchinwas the wide array of projects he was involved in. One minute he would be starring asChekovinStar Trekand the next he would be providing the voice of a Smurf. He always appeared to give his all to a role and never seemed to phone it in and as anyone who has followed his work in recent years will likely tell you, he was only getting better. He was an actor that had such amazing possibility ahead and sadly, we won’t ever get to see what could have been.
Many of us are still reeling from the news and Hollywood has responded with thoughts and prayers aplenty on social media.Yelchinhad been acting for most of his life, but it felt like he was about to hit a major stride and with performances inGreen RoomandStar Trek Beyondin 2016, it seemed very likely that his best work was still ahead of him. As sad as his very untimely and tragic death is,Yelchindid leave behind and incredible body of work for a man his age and in honor of his great, but tragically short career, we are going to take look at some his best and most memorable performances.
5Green Room
Green Roomis a movie that absolutely isn’t for everyone, as it is a very challenging movie to watch in some ways due to its very brutal nature. That doesn’t detract from the fact that it is one of the best films to land in theaters this year and a very large part of that is owed to the performance given byAnton Yelchin. The movie revolves around a punk rock band who is on tour and barely scraping by who need to find a way to pay to get home. They are offered a gig at askinheadbar and after something goes terribly wrong, it becomes a violent, horrifying mess.Yelchinplays Pat who has to endure some of the most awful things imaginable throughout the course of the movie, and has to do so while sharing the screen withPatrick Stewart, who delivers one of the most complex and chilling performances of recent memory. The tension in this movie is so palpable and Pat is put in the position of attempting to be the voice of reason in a situation that defies reason, which leads to a very intense ark for the character.Yelchinwinds up being the real standout in a movie that has a tremendous ensemble cast and really sells the horror, pain and fear that would have come off as B-movie scream gore in the hands of a less talented actor. Even if you don’t loveGreen Room, it is something that will absolutely stick with you andYelchin’s performance is something that is truly unforgettable. One scene inparticular will haunt you, largely becauseYelchinmakes it seem so real and human that it is unsettling, yet truly admirable.
4Charlie Bartlett
Charlie Bartlettis a movie that largely slipped through the cracks and came at a time whenYelchinwasn’t completely on everyone’s radar. It is also on the completely opposite end of the spectrum as something likeGreen Room.Yelchinplays the title character in the movie who comes from a rich, but flawed, family and after getting kicked out of private school, he is forced to attend public school and struggles to fit in. Bartlett eventually finds a way to win over his new classmates and then becomes a target for the principal, played byRobert Downey Jr.. The movie is a bit fluffy and certainly won’t win any awards, but it is a well done, feel good coming of age movie with some excellent performances fromDowneyandYelchin. Everyone has felt like they don’t fit in at one point or another and like any great coming-of-age movie,Yelchinis able to tap into that emotion and make it resonate. Not only that, but he also just gets to be flat out silly and it is painfully charming.Charlie Bartlettmay not be anywhere near the best movie thatYelchinwas ever a part of, but as a showcase of his range and acting talents, even at a fairly young age, it is very effective and it is very hard to imagine you won’t at least find yourself smiling a few times during the movie.
3Hearts In Atlantis
One thing thatYelchinhas been asked to do throughout his entire career, really starting in 2001 withHearts In Atlantis, is to act side by side with some of themost talented actorsin Hollywood and hold his own. Child acting is a mixed bag and often times kids are something that can make a movie less than great.Yelchin, on the other hand, delivered a performance as a very young boy alongside the greatAnthony Hopkinsin thisStephen Kingadaptation that put him on everyone’s radar and remains one of the best moments in his entire career.Hearts In Atlantisis far from a perfect movie, but the performances are the real sell for it. The story revolves around a middle aged man who reflects upon a summer when he and his widowed mother encounter a strange, old man who changes their lives. Even some of the greatest actors working today would have a hard time standing out while sharing the screen with a great likeHopkins, butYelchinat the age of 12 makes it look effortless, which is beyond impressive. This is really the movie that introduced us to the great actor thatYelchinwould become.
2Star Trek
Many people knewAnton Yelchinlong beforeJ.J. Abramscast him in his highly anticipated 2009 reboot ofStar Trek, but that movie put him on the map for good and he wound up being one of the best parts of a truly stellar ensemble cast. ManyStar Trekfans wholly embracedThe Next Generation, largely because they weren’t forced to accept other actors in the roles that were made famous in the originalStar Trekseries. SoAbramshad a very tall order when casting the movie and the actors had an even bigger order to deliver the good for the fans. Though many people have some complaints about the current franchise, almost none of them have to do with the cast. Chekov may not have a ton of screen time, butYelchinhonors the legacy of the role and makes it all his own at the exact same time. He doesn’t waste a second of screen time and walks the very fine line of being sincere and becoming a caricature.Yelchinwas part of what madeStar Trekwork for both long time Trekkies and those who just wanted to see a big, fun space adventure movie. No doubt, for as long as we are reflecting on the career of Mr.Yelchin, we will be talking about his excellent portrayal of one, Pavel Chekov.
1Alpha Dog
There is no doubt that one of the great things aboutAnton Yelchinis that he had incredible range and always managed to ground his characters and make them relatable. That is why his performance in the 2006 based on a true story heartbreakerAlpha Dogis so incredibly effective.Yelchinplays Nicholas Markowitz in the movie, who was kidnapped by a very famous drug dealer and eventually killed in 2000. What is truly heart wrenching aboutYelchin’s performance inAlpha Dogis that he is so likable and ends up bonding with his captors. He trusts them implicitly, which is ultimately what leads to his absolutely devastating final scene. The emotion thatYelchindisplays in his final few minutes on screen is something that is enough to make even the most strong willed well up and shed some tears. There is a moment in the career of every great actor where you realize that they are more than just a guy that you have seen in a movie or two, andAlpha Dogis without a doubt that movie forYelchin. He has had many great and varied performances over the years, but this one is still truly special and came at exactly the right time.
We will always have the great body of work thatAnton Yelchinwas able to put together during his brief time as an actor, but he accomplished an awful lot in a short period of time. We will very sorely miss him. RIPAnton Yelchin, and thank you for the excellent work.
