Anton Yelchin actor, movies, net worth, twitter, interview • biography

Early Life and Family Background

Anton Viktorovich Yelchin was born on March 11, 1989, in Leningrad, in the former Soviet Union (now Saint Petersburg, Russia). He was of Jewish descent. His parents, Irina and Viktor Yelchin, were well-known professional figure skaters and had considerable celebrity status in Leningrad. They were ranked third in the Soviet Union and had qualified for the 1972 Winter Olympics. However, they were not allowed to compete, reportedly due to undisclosed reasons, with speculation suggesting that their Jewish heritage may have played a role.

In 1989, when Anton was six months old, the Yelchin family emigrated to the United States as political refugees. Once in the U.S., his parents continued their involvement in figure skating, working respectively as a choreographer and an instructor.

Education

Anton Yelchin attended Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies in California. After completing his secondary education, he enrolled at the University of Southern California, where he pursued film studies, furthering his interest in the entertainment industry.

Acting Career

Yelchin began his acting career at the young age of nine with his debut role in the independent film A Man is Mostly Water. Over the course of his career, he appeared in more than 40 films and over 10 television series. He gained recognition for his performances in the television series Huff and for voicing Clumsy Smurf in the animated movie The Smurfs 2.

One of his most anticipated roles was in Star Trek Beyond (2016), in which he reprised his role as Pavel Chekov. With a budget of approximately $150 million, the film was expected to be a significant entry in his filmography and marked a high point in his career. While J.J. Abrams produced the film, it was directed by Justin Lin.