Real life is no movie. While reality can include some cinematic flair on occasion and feature characters that inspire creations on screen or influential people who actors eventually portray, the land of make believe teases us that performers only die temporarily.  They’ll come back in a different form in a different movie and thrill us again. Anton Yelchin, who died too young on Sunday due to a freak accident, didn’t waste a single second of his 27 years on Earth.

An underrated actor who will be remembered most for his role as Chekov in the new fleet of Star Trek films, Yelchin crafted a fine career for a young man. He starred in several good films and a few great ones. His innocent features built on a backbone of vulnerability that made all of his characters easy to relate to.

Yelchin burst onto the cinematic scene as the young protege to Anthony Hopkins mysterious thief in the enchanting film Hearts in Atlantis. He held his own with one of cinema’s giants at the age of 12. He would do a slew of small television roles including The Practice, Without a Trace, Curb Your Enthusiasm, NYPD Blue, Huff(David Morse played the older version of his character in Atlantis), and Criminal Minds. (more…)