It’s a big summer for Anton Yelchin, a big month really. Though he shot the films a year apart, both Star Trek and Terminator Salvation open within two weeks of each other in May. In Trek he plays Chekov and in Terminator, he’s Kyle Reese.
Anton Yelchin is Chekov
“Both of these characters, Chekov and Kyle Reese, are challenges because they have been these iconic, previous characters and previous performance that were great, and that established this legacy,” Yelchin said. “So, the challenge was to work with that legacy and to see how I could use it to inform my performance. It was just really interesting, and they were just really great characters to play, and I feel like I’ve been lucky to play them.”
Also, being in two big blockbusters is fun. “It’s bizarre. My past experience has been working on movies that take a month and a half to shoot. Then, suddenly, I’m there for six or seven months. But, I look at them as really interesting, great characters.”
As for Chekov, it was either a long time coming or just a coincidence depending on Yelchin’s story. “I thought I was born to be this character. No. I actually wasn’t a fan. I’m a fan now. I watched a lot of the original series, and there’s just something so great about it that you can’t help but really love it.”
If this is the month that makes Anton Yelchin a household name, he’s ready for it. “The biggest part of this experience for me was just the characters are so great. I’ve had so much joy playing this character, and that’s been the most important thing to me. Everything else is secondary.”
Star Trek is out in theaters now.
For the posters, trailers, stills, reviews and additional info, go to the Star Trek Movie Page.
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