A documentary about a former Hollywood actor that suffered a tragic death following a horrific car accident revealed something personal about his life that he hid from the public.
Anton Yelchin was best known for his roles as Pavel Chekov in the Star Trek reboot and as Kyle Reese in Terminator Salvation, but he died aged just 27 in 2016.
One of the film industry’s most promising and upcoming actors, the American didn’t turn up to a rehearsal one day, as we was discovered pinned between a mailbox and a security fence outside his home after his Jeep rolled backwards.
It is believed that he got out of his car to check his locked gate for mail, and the vehicle rolled down the driveway and trapped him, as the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office identified the cause of death as ‘blunt traumatic asphyxia’.
The 2019 film on his life was premiered by his parents, Viktor and Irina Yelchin, at the Sundance Film Festival and it was titled Love, Antosha.
It focuses on the actor’s career and health struggles, boasting a score 97 percent on percent on Rotten Tomatoes’ critics’ score, as well as an impressive 92 percent audience score.
Several celebrities feature in the documentary, which was based on Yelchin’s journals and writing.
Garret Price, the man that directed the documentary, managed to get Nicolas Cage to narrate the film, with interviews coming from Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Anya Taylor-Joy, Willem Dafoe, Simon Pegg and J.J Abrams, who all knew the actor well.
Yelchin passed away, aged 27 (Tommaso Boddi/WireImage)
While critics rated the film highly, it was revealed in the documentary that Yelchin was suffering with the chronic illness known as cystic fibrosis.
The inherited condition shortens life expectancy, and ’causes sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system,’ resulting in lung infections and digestion problems.
Director Garret Price admitted that he was ‘surprised’ to find out about the late actor’s battle, calling him ‘admirable’ for the commitment he showed to his career.
Speaking to Fox News, he explained: “The first thing that surprised me was his chronic illness, which he was secretly dealing with throughout his career.
“And that in itself was totally admirable. No one knew about it. Even some of his closest friends didn’t know about it until he passed away.”
He further revealed that those with cystic fibrosis at the film’s screenings felt ‘inspired’ by the late Yelchin.
Yelchin was battling cystic fibrosis (George Pimentel/WireImage)
Price added: “That’s where it gets really emotional for me, talking to those people. I can’t help but think, ‘Thank God somebody like him existed.’
“He proved that you can have a life, be optimistic and push forward with this disease. It’s not an end-all. That’s how Anton addressed the disease. It wasn’t a crutch. He didn’t even tell anybody.
“He wasn’t going to let it hold him back. He also didn’t want people to feel sorry for him.”
The story of the actor’s life is told through archival footage, home videos and personal letters as well as numerous star-studded interviews.
Love, Antosha is available to stream on Prime Video now.