Verne Troyer, an American comedian, actor, and stunt performer, was best known for his iconic role as “Mini-Me” in the ‘Austin Powers’ movie series. Despite being recognized as one of the shortest men in the world, standing at 2 ft 8 in tall, Troyer never let his height define him. Born and raised in a middle-class family, he attended Centreville High School before embarking on a successful career in the film industry. Tragically, Troyer passed away in 2018 at the age of 49 due to alcohol poisoning.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Verne Jay Troyer
- Died At Age: 49
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Genevieve Gallen (m. 2004–2004)
- Father: Reuben Troyer
- Mother: Susan
- Siblings: Davon and Deborah
- Partner: Brittney Powell (2007–2018)
- Born Country: United States
- Comedians
- American Men
- Died on: April 21, 2018
- Place of death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- U.S. State: Michigan
Verne Troyer’s Acting Career
Verne Troyer’s acting career began in 1994 when he served as a stunt double for “Baby Bink” in the film “Baby’s Day Out”. In the following years, he worked as a double in several films including “Jingle All the Way”, “Dunston Checks In”, “Pinocchio’s Revenge”, “Men in Black”, “Mighty Joe”, and “My Giant”. In 1999, Troyer was cast as “Mini-Me” in the movie “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me”, which was directed by Jay Roach. He also appeared in the sitcom “Shasta McNasty” and played goblin Griphook in “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”. He reprised his role as “Mini-Me” in “Austin Powers in Goldmember” in 2002 and appeared in two episodes of “Boston Public” the following year. Troyer also participated in reality TV shows such as “The Surreal Life” and “Welcome to Sweden”. He collaborated with Mike Myers for the movie “The Love Guru” in 2008 and began appearing in “Celebrity Juice”. Other notable roles include Percy in “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” and Archimedes in “Keith Lemon: The Film”. He also appeared in various TV shows such as “Lemon La Vida Loca”, “Legit”, “Through the Keyhole”, “Celebrity Wife Swap”, and “Trailer Park Boys: Out of the Park: USA”.
Personal Life & Death
Verne Jay Troyer was born on January 1, 1969, in Sturgis, Michigan, USA. His parents were Susan and Reuben Troyer, with his father working as a repair technician and his mother as a factory worker. Troyer had two siblings, Deborah and Davon, and he received his education from Centreville High School. In 2004, he married model Genevieve Gallen, but their marriage was annulled the following day. In 2008, a sex video of Troyer and his ex-live-in girlfriend, Ranae Shrider, was leaked. His last romantic relationship was with actress Brittney Powell.
On April 21, 2018, Verne Troyer was found dead at the age of 49. The cause of his death was determined to be alcohol poisoning.