Earlier this month, a little movie-making magic brought the essence of Hollywood to little old Wellesley Square as large, equipment-filled trucks commandeered the area, creating bustle and stirring up the curiosity of the locals. According to Wellesley Police there was “…an independent film company shooting a scene at [the Amarin restaurant on Grove Street].” An additional source noted that a script labeled Thoroughbred was casually lying on the sidewalk.
One of the actors appearing in Thoroughbred was Anton Yelchin, best known for his role as Ensign Pavel Chekov in the rebooted Star Trek films, and tragically killed at the age of 27 in a freak accident on Sunday, June 19. We don’t know if the rising Hollywood star with over 60 acting credits to his name was on location in Wellesley when the film, produced by Wellesley native Kevin Walsh, was shooting here. But he may have been no stranger to town since another of his movies, The Greens are Gone, filmed at Elm Bank back in 2014. That movie has not yet been released.
Yelchin, according to Los Angeles police, was killed at his home after he got out of his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee and it rolled down his steep driveway, crushing him against a concrete-reinforced mailbox. The Jeep was a model that has been recalled due to a gearshift issue that has confused drivers leading them to accidentally leave the car in neutral when they think it is safely in park. It is not known if this was the cause of Mr. Yelchin’s accident, which is under investigation.
Yelchin’s third appearance as the completely adorable and brilliant Chekov in Star Trek Beyond will hit theaters on July 22. The film will likely be one of summer’s biggest blockbuster hits.
Thoroughbred does not yet have a scheduled release date.