Verne Troyer, best known for his role as Mini-Me in the "Austin Powers" movies, died Saturday. He was 49. While no cause of death was given, a statement on the actor's social media accounts said he had gone through a "recent time of adversity" and alluded to suicide and depression as "serious issues."
"Over the years he's struggled and won, struggled and won, struggled and fought some more, but unfortunately this time was too much," it added. "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, who lived in Los Angeles, was taken to hospital early this month for unspecified treatment. The actor spoke about his alcohol addiction during another hospital stay a year ago. One of the world's shortest men at just two feet eight inches (81 centimeters) due to achondroplasia dwarfism, according to reports, Troyer was born in 1969 in Sturgis, Michigan. He first entered show business as a stunt person in "Baby's Day Out" (1994).