Summary
- Anton Yelchin's portrayal of Chekov in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek films breathed new life into the iconic character.
- As the young prodigy navigator on the Enterprise, Chekov helps defeat villains like Nero and Khan, showcasing his exceptional skills and bravery.
- Yelchin's tragic death in 2016 left a lasting impact on the Star Trek community, with his memory honored in subsequent films and projects.
Beginning with J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (2009), Anton Yelchin played Ensign Pavel Chekov in three Star Trek films before his tragic and untimely death in 2016. Following the James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) of the alternate Kelvin timeline, J.J. Abrams' Star Trek films reenergized the Star Trek movie franchise, introducing countless new fans to the series. Star Trek: Enterprise ended with a whimper four years before and there had not been a Star Trek feature film since the lackluster Star Trek: Nemesis in 2002.
Star Trek (2009) introduced updated versions of the classic characters from Star Trek: The Original Series, including the young Russian Starfleet officer, Pavel Chekov. Originally played by Walter Koenig, Chekov was the youngest of the USS Enterprise bridge crew and was often defined by his love for his Russian heritage. Throughout TOS and its subsequent films, Chekov became a jack-of-all-trades, working in navigation, engineering, and security, among other odd jobs. In Star Trek (2009), Yelchin's Chekov joined the crew of the Enterprise as a cadet at the age of seventeen, when he was assigned as the ship's navigator.
Anton Yelchin Played Chekov In J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Movies
The Chekov of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek is a prodigy, with exceptional mathematical ability.
As the navigator on the Starship Enterprise, Chekov aided in the defeat of Nero (Eric Bana), the Romulan time traveler who sought revenge against the United Federation of Planets for the destruction of Romulus. In Star Trek Into Darkness, the Enterprise faces off against the notorious tyrant, Khan Noonien-Singh (Benedict Cumberbatch), who reveals a Starfleet and Section 31 conspiracy. Chekov briefly fills in as Chief Engineer when Lt. Commander Montgomery Scott (Simon Pegg) temporarily resigns. By the time of Star Trek Beyond, Chekov is back to being the Enterprise's navigator when the ship is destroyed, stranding Chekov and the rest of the crew on Altamid.
After the events of Star Trek Beyond, Captain Kirk is given command of the USS Enterprise-A, and Chekov remains on the crew.
Born in the Soviet Union, Anton Yelchin's family moved to the United States when he was only six months old. Yelchin made his film debut in 2000's A Man Is Mostly Water, before going on to appear in numerous films and television shows, including Along Came a Spider, Hearts in Atlantis, The Practice, and NYPD Blue. Yelchin starred alongside Christian Bale and Sam Worthington in 2009's Terminator Salvation, and continued to have a busy career, often earning rave reviews for his performances. He starred as Odd Thomas in the adaptation of the Dean Koontz novel of the same name and also starred alongside Patrick Stewart in the independent horror film, The Green Room.
Anton Yelchin’s Tragic 2016 Death Explained
Yelchin died in a tragic accident on June 19, 2016.
When Anton Yelchin missed a rehearsal on June 18, 2016, his friends grew worried and went to check on him at his home. He was found at about 1 a.m. on June 19, having been pinned between his Jeep and a brick pillar outside of his home in a freak accident. At only age 27, Yelchin was pronounced dead at the scene. Star Trek Beyond was released about a month after Yelchin's death and was dedicated to both him and Leonard Nimoy, who had passed away in May of 2015.
Several other films and television shows featuring Yelchin were released after the actor's death, many of which were dedicated to him. These projects include Smurfs: The Lost Village, We Don't Belong Here, Rememory, Porto, Newness, and Thoroughbreds, as well as the entirety of Guillermo del Toro's Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia. Star Trek: Discovery season 3 featured a Federation Starship named the USS Yelchin (NCC-4774-E), and a new ship named Yelchin was mentioned in Discovery season 4. Star Trek has found numerous ways to keep Anton Yelchin's memory alive, and he has been and always shall be an important member of the Star Trek family.
