Sad news out of Hollywood today, as multiple media outlets have now confirmed that actor Verne Troyer has passed away.
He was just 49 years old.
Troyer’s cause of his death is unknown at this time.
Best known for his role as Mini-Me in the Austin Powers series of films, Troyer suffered a number of personal setbacks in the wake of his meteoric rise to fame.
Earlier this month, Troyer was hospitalized after police were told that he was drunk and exhibiting suicidal behavior.
Doctors reportedly treated him for alcohol poisoning upon his arrival.
There’s no word yet on whether Troyer’s death was in any way tied to his most recent struggles.
Beginning his career as a stunt double in the 1994 film Baby’s Day Out, Troyer eventually amassed almost 60 film and television credits over the course of his decades in Hollywood.
But it was his role in 1999’s Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged for which the actor will best be remembered.
Hamming it up as a diminutive clone of Mike Meyers’ Dr. Evil, Troyer became a fan favorite and an overnight sensation.
Troyer went on to work with Meyers on two additional films, including Austin Powers in Goldmember, and he even made a brief cameo in the first Harry Potter film.
Sadly, the 2000s saw a steep decline in both the actor’s career and personal life.
He continued to find work in Hollywood, but now it was mostly bit parts in small-budget comedies and degrading appearances on reality TV shows.
In 2015, Troyer married actress Brittney Powell, with whom he appeared on an episode of ABC’s Celebrity Wife Swap.
Troyer also appeared on such short-lived reality shows as Celebrity Juice and The Surreal Life.
Born with a condition known as achondroplasia dwarfism, Troyer says he was never treated differently as a child, but later revealed that his condition had often made his adult life tremendously difficult.
He is survived by Powell and a stepson named Tyson.
Our thoughts go out to Troyer’s family and friends at this difficult time.
