Mini-Me of Dr. Evil, Actor Verne Troyer, Dies at 49

Verne Troyer’s representative posted the sad news on social media, informing that the actor passed away on April 21.

“Verne was an extremely caring individual. He wanted to make everyone smile, be happy, and laugh. Anybody in need, he would help to any extent possible,” the statement reads.

The actor, who was 81 cm tall, became a pop-culture phenomenon after he played Mini-Me, a character from the Austin Powers films who was the diminutive cloned copy of the villain Dr. Evil. He also scored numerous and memorable appearances in TV series, reality shows, commercials and other movies, including the goblin Griphook from “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”, Percy in “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” and others.

Mike Myers, who partnered with Troyer not only in Austin Powers movies, but also in “The Love Guru”, was cited by The Guardian as saying “Verne was the consummate professional and a beacon of positivity for those of us who had the honor of working with him. It is a sad day, but I hope he is in a better place. He will be greatly missed.”

The cause of his death was not expressly given; however the family statement concludes with a call to donate to charity and a message for fans, “Depression and Suicide are very serious issues. You never know what kind of battle someone is going through inside. Be kind to one another. And always know, it’s never too late to reach out to someone for help.”

Troyer fought an addiction to alcohol in the past; he was admitted to a treatment center in 2017.

According to the BBC reports, the actor was checked into a hospital in Los Angeles earlier this month, although the reason remained unclear.
According to the statement of his bereaved family, “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.”

READ MORE: Dangerous Blues: WHO Warns That the World Slipping Into Depression

The social media networks, including Twitter, are awash with posts honoring the late actor, as users, including Verne’s fellow actors and actress, grieve over his death and thank the man “in small stature with big heart.”

“West Wing” Actress Marlee Matlin, who raised money with him for free aids for people with hearing problems, was among them.

​Others praised his kind heart and grieved that he had passed away too soon.

​