Drake Doremus: 'Losing Anton Yelchin is a huge tragedy for filmmaking'

Director Drake Doremus is struggling to come to terms with the death of Anton Yelchin, insisting his passing is "a huge tragedy" for Hollywood.

The Star Trek actor was pinned between his car and a brick pillar after the vehicle rolled backwards down the steep driveway of his home in San Fernando Valley, California on 19 June (16).

The 27-year-old's death was ruled an accident by officials at the Los Angeles coroner's office, whose report revealed he was killed within a minute or so from blunt traumatic asphyxia from the force of the car.

Doremus, who directed Yelchin in the 2011 romantic drama Like Crazy, had nothing but good things to say about the young star while at the premiere of his film Equals on Thursday (07Jul16).

"Anton was so special and so unique, and so funny," he told Entertainment Tonight at the Arclight Theatre in Hollywood. "I mean, there's just nobody like him and to lose him so soon is a huge tragedy for industry and for filmmaking."

While the premiere was supposed to be a celebratory event for the director's latest movie, Doremus admitted he found it hard to be positive after the tragedy.

"It's really hard even to be here tonight and to think about celebrate making films," the 32-year-old said. "That was what he was so passionate about. We've done so many Q and As (question and answer sessions) here together, and to be back tonight - he's on our minds and will be all night."

He also revealed what it was like to work with the young star on Like Crazy, which also featured Felicity Jones and Jennifer Lawrence: "It was a very special family we had on that movie and he will always be family and he'll always be our little brother," Doremus said of the filming. "And we miss him so much."

Equals, starring Kristen Stewart and Nicholas Hoult, is due for release on 15 July (16).