Walter Koenig, the actor best known for his role as Pavel Chekov in the Star Trek franchise, has died at the age of 90. His death was confirmed by his representatives and family, who stated he passed away of natural causes on Sunday.
Koenig joined the Star Trek universe in its second season, appearing in 36 episodes of the original television series between 1967 and 1969. He reprised the role of Ensign Chekov in seven Star Trek feature films and lent his voice to the character in various Star Trek video games, including "Star Trek Online" and "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy."
Beyond his iconic Star Trek role, Koenig also secured other science fiction acting jobs, appearing in projects such as "Babylon 5," "Futurama," and "Moontrap." Born in Chicago in 1936, Koenig began his acting career in the early 1960s. The character of Pavel Chekov was later portrayed by Anton Yelchin in the 2009 Star Trek reboot film and its two sequels.