Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin kept his lung disease a secret even from his close friends before his shocking death at 27
'Star Trek' actor Anton Yelchin kept his cystic fibrosis diagnosis a secret before his untimely death at the age of 27. Yelchin died in a freak accident in 2016 when his SUV rolled down a driveway of his LA home, pinning him between a mailbox and a security fence.
At the time of his death, the actor was a rising star in Hollywood. Director Garret Price has been working a documentary titled 'Love Antosha' which looks at the life of the actor before the tragedy had struck. The documentary also explores Yelchin's secret battle with cystic fibrosis. According to the Mayo Clinic, cystic fibrosis is an inherited disorder that causes a lot of damage to the lungs, digestive system, and other organs. As reported by Fox News, Price said, "The first thing that surprised me was his chronic illness, which he was secretly dealing with throughout his career. Even some of his closest friends didn’t know about it until he passed away."
Even though he was suffering from the condition, Yelchin managed to have many films and TV shows to his name. He is best known for his role as Pavel Chekov in the rebooted 'Star Trek' franchise. Price also shared that some patients with CF had also come to see the film and Price had the chance to talk to them. "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," he shared. He further added that Yelchin did not let his disease hold him back from anything and he did not want people to feel bad for him or pity him.
Yelchin's parents Viktor and Irina were determined than ever to keep the memory of their son alive and helped Price in the documentary. "This was a story I wanted to tell. I found Anton so inspiring, so layered and interesting. It was very hard for his parents. But they were always there for me. They gave me the freedom and trust to tell this story, which is difficult in itself," Price revealed.
The documentary premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. It also featured many interviews of people who were friends with Yelchin or had worked with him such as Jodie Foster, Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pine, and Kristin Stewart.