Actor Verne Troyer from Austin Powers films dies at 49
LOS ANGELES — Actor Verne Troyer, who was best known for his role as Mini-Me in the Austin Powers movies, has died at the age of 49.
“It is with great sadness and incredibly heavy hearts to write that Verne passed away today,” a statement posted Saturday on Troyer’s Facebook page said. No cause of death was given.
Troyer, who starred in a number of commercials and films over the years, gained Verne Troyer was best known for his role as Mini-Me in the Austin Powers movies. He also played Griphook the gnome in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. international fame with his role as MiniMe, a 2-foot-8 inch version of Mike Myers’ Dr. Evil, in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Austin Powers in Goldmember.
Troyer was hospitalized this month after friends, concerned about his behaviour, called authorities.
On the night of April 2, a friend called police and said the person who lived at Troyer’s North Hollywood address “was depressed and wanted the police to come check it out,” said Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Matthew Barrick, without confirming that it was Troyer.
Officers were dispatched, and about an hour later, they requested paramedics for “unspecified medical aid,” a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson said.
About 15 minutes later, an individual at the house was taken to the hospital, officials said. Questions on the person’s condition were directed to the mental evaluation unit at Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley.
A message posted to Troyer’s Instagram account the next day said, “Asking you to keep Verne in your thoughts and prayers. He’s getting the best care possible and resting comfortably.”
The statement posted on his Facebook page Saturday referred to the recent troubles.
“Verne was a fighter when it came to his own battles,” the statement said. “Over the years he’s struggled and won, struggled and won, struggled and fought some more, but unfortunately this time was too much. During this recent time of adversity he was baptized while surrounded by his family.”
On April 6, 2017, Troyer wrote on Instagram that he had battled alcohol addiction in the past and that he was voluntarily checking himself into a treatment centre. “While it’s not always been an easy fight, I’m willing to continue my fight day by day,” he wrote.
Troyer became a celebrity and popculture phenomenon after starring alongside
Myers as Mini-Me. Troyer, who was 2 feet 8 inches, was a versatile actor who was widely recognizable from his various roles. He played the goblin Griphook in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and the ice hockey coach Punch Cherkov in The Love Guru.
One of Troyer’s first film roles came as a stunt double for a baby in the film Baby’s Day Out (1994).
He also appeared in Men in Black (1997), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009).
He made headlines in 2008 when he sued celebrity news site TMZ and sought $20 million in damages for a sex tape Troyer said the website stole and posted online. His lawsuit said the tape was for his “own
personal, private use.”
Troyer had a YouTube channel with more than half a million subscribers on which he frequently posted comedy skits. In his last video, posted three weeks ago, Troyer was in an armchair and talked about his pet peeves.
“Just because I’m small people think that they can come up to me and tap me on the head,” he said. “I’m not a lap dog.”
Myers wrote on Twitter: “Verne was the consummate professional and a beacon of positivity for those of us who had the honour of working with him. It is a sad day, but I hope he is in a better place. He will be greatly missed.”
With files from the New York Times and The Associated Press