Zachary Quinto has remembered his Star Trek co-star Anton Yelchin in an emotional interview.

Yelchin was killed when he 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 the Los Angeles coroner's office, with the report revealing he was killed within a minute or so from blunt traumatic asphyxia from the force of the car.

Quinto paid tribute to the young actor while on Stephen Colbert's Late Show on Friday (01Jul16), and appeared visibly upset as he began to talk about the loss of his friend. "Beautiful guy. I don't even know how to talk about it," he said.

The actor, who plays Spock in the latest installment of the sci-fi franchise Star Trek: Beyond, said the release and promotion of the new movie was always going to be a somber experience after the death of original Spock actor Leonard Nimoy, who died in February last year (15).

"We already knew that this would be a bittersweet experience because of the loss of Leonard last year, but this has just been absolutely devastating for all of us," he said of Yelchin's death.

Quinto and Yelchin first worked together in 2007 when they starred in the first remake of the Star Trek series, and the 39-year-old actor said he and his castmates, including Zoe Saldana, Chris Pine and Simon Pegg, would to try honor the young star's life.

"I think our goal has to be to just celebrate his incredible life and honor him as much as we can. It was a terrible loss not only to us personally, but I think to the industry and audiences. He was such a talent," he explained.

"I think we take it for granted in a lot of ways because we genuinely love each other so much. But we are truly intertwined inextricably and I think we always will be."

Yelchin was laid to rest at an undisclosed location on 24 June (16), in a ceremony that was attended by close family and friends.