Verne Jay Troyer (January 1, 1969 – April 21, 2018) was an American actor, best known for playing Mini-Me in the Austin Powers film series. He had cartilage–hair hypoplasia and was 2 ft 8 in (81 cm) tall.[1][2]
Verne Troyer | |
---|---|
Born | Verne Jay Troyer January 1, 1969 Sturgis, Michigan, U.S. |
Died | April 21, 2018 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | (aged 49)
Resting place | Leonidas Cemetery |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1994–2018 |
Height | 2 ft 8 in (81 cm) |
Partner | Brittney Powell (2007–2018; his death) |
Signature | |
Early life
editTroyer was born in Sturgis, Michigan, on January 1, 1969,[3] the son of Susan, a factory worker, and Reuben Troyer, a repair technician.[4] He had two siblings, Davon and Deborah. He stated that his parents "never treated me any different than my other average-sized siblings. I used to have to carry wood, feed the cows and pigs and farm animals."[5] Troyer was initially raised Amish, but his parents left the faith when he was a child.[6] During his childhood, Troyer spent much time visiting Amish relatives[7] in Centreville, Michigan. He graduated in 1987 from Centreville High School, where a plaque was dedicated to him in 2003.[8]
Career
editTroyer's film career began when a former president of Little People of America contacted him, looking for someone to serve as a stunt double for the infant character "Baby Bink" in John Hughes' film Baby's Day Out (1994).[9] He gained further work as a stunt double with some minor comedic roles in several films of the 1990s, including Dunston Checks In, Jingle All the Way (both 1996), Men in Black (1997),[10] and My Giant (1998).[11] He is also known for an appearance in an Apple PowerBook G4 advertisement.[12]
He first met with Jay Roach to discuss portraying Mini-Me in the Austin Powers series,[13] directed by Roach and starring co-creator Mike Myers, before filming for the series' second film began. Myers was impressed with Troyer's performance, rewriting the script for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) to give Mini-Me more screen time and remove the character's death.[14] Troyer reprised the role three years later in Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), and collaborated again with Myers on The Love Guru (2008).[10]
After reaching a large audience as Mini-Me, Troyer portrayed Griphook in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001),[15] and played the role of Percy in Terry Gilliam's fantasy film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009).[16] He also made several appearances as himself in reality television series, including The Surreal Life (2005), Welcome to Sweden (2007),[10] and the British Celebrity Big Brother 6 (2009), in which he placed fourth.[17]
Personal life
editOn June 25, 2008, a private home video was leaked of Troyer and his former live-in girlfriend Ranae Shrider having sex. The video, recorded in 2008 in Beverly Hills, California, and Shrider's hometown of Fort Cobb, Oklahoma,[18] was leaked to the public by Shrider and TMZ.[19] Kevin Blatt, the man responsible for brokering the deal for Paris Hilton's sex tape in 2003, tried to sell the video. Troyer, through his long-time attorney, Ed McPherson, sued TMZ, Blatt, and online rental company SugarDVD, for invasion of privacy and copyright infringement.[20]
In early April 2018, Troyer was admitted to a hospital after an incident in his home.[21][22] He had previously been admitted to rehab to undergo treatment for alcoholism.[22][23]
Death
editTroyer died at a hospital in Los Angeles on April 21, 2018, at age 49. His death was later ruled a suspected suicide by alcohol intoxication. He was interred with his parents in Leonidas Cemetery in St. Joseph County, Michigan.[24][25]
Filmography
editYear | Title | Role | Notes | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1994 | Baby's Day Out | Baby Bink's stunt double | Debut role | [9] |
1996 | Dunston Checks In | [10] | ||
Jingle All the Way | Little Santa Claus | [10] | ||
Pinocchio's Revenge | Pinocchio's Miniature Double | [26] | ||
1997 | Volcano | [27] | ||
Men in Black | Alien Son | [28] | ||
Wishmaster | Creature Stage #1 | [28] | ||
RocketMan | [29] | |||
1998 | My Giant | Wrestler | [11] | |
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas | Wee Waiter | Credited as Verne J. Troya | [30] | |
The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald | Sundae | Direct-to-video Voice by Dee Bradley Baker |
[31] | |
Mighty Joe Young | Baby Joe | [30] | ||
1999 | Here Lies Lonely | Virgil | [32] | |
Instinct | Gorilla Performer | [30] | ||
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me | Mini-Me | Credited as Verne J. Troya | [33] | |
2000 | Bit Players | Marty Rosenthal | [34] | |
How the Grinch Stole Christmas | Band Member | [30] | ||
2001 | Bubble Boy | Dr. Phreak | [28] | |
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Griphook | Voice by Warwick Davis | [33] | |
2002 | Run for the Money | Attila | [28] | |
Austin Powers in Goldmember | Mini-Me | [33] | ||
2003 | Pauly Shore Is Dead | Himself | [28] | |
2007 | Postal | Himself | [28] | |
2008 | The Love Guru | Coach Punch Cherkov | [33] | |
College | Himself | [30] | ||
2009 | The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus | Percy | [28] | |
2012 | Keith Lemon: The Film | Archimedes | [30] | |
2013 | Convenience | Dwight | [30] | |
2015 | Trailer Park Boys: Drunk, High, and Unemployed: Live in Austin | Himself | [28] | |
Gnome Alone | The Gnome | [35] | ||
2018 | The Delivery | The Boss | Short film Posthumous release |
|
2019 | Aliens, Clowns & Geeks | Emperor Beezel-Chugg | Posthumous release | [26] |
2020 | The 420 Movie: Mary & Jane | Tito the Terrible | Posthumous release Final film role |
[36] |
Television
editMusic videos
editYear | Artist | Song | Album |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | Madonna | "Beautiful Stranger" | Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me |
Mel B | "Word Up" | Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me | |
2002 | Moby | "We Are All Made of Stars" | 18 |
2004 | D12 | "My Band" | D12 World |
2005 | Ludacris | "Number One Spot" | The Red Light District |
2009 | Forever the Sickest Kids | "What Do You Want from Me" | The Weekend: Friday and Diary of a Wimpy Kid |
2014 | Steve Aoki featuring will.i.am | "Born to Get Wild" | Neon Future I |
Video games
editYear | Title | Voice role | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Let It Die | Jackal X | [44] |
Web
editYear | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Story Cops with Verne Troyer | Glenn Peck | Funny or Die Exclusive[45] |
2018 | My 90-Year-Old Roommate | Verne Troyer | Episode: Verne Troyer; posthumous release |
References
edit- ^ As stated by Troyer during interview on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, September 25, 2009.
- ^ "Verne Troyer: 'Mini Me' actor reportedly hospitalised after suffering seizure at Heart of Texas Comic Con in Waco". news.com.au. March 23, 2015.
- ^ "UPI Almanac for Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019". United Press International. January 1, 2019. Archived from the original on September 2, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
actor Verne Troyer in 1969
- ^ "Verne Troyer Biography (1969-)". Film Reference. Advameg, Inc. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ "vernetroyer comments on I am Verne Troyer, AMA!!!". Reddit.com. February 13, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
- ^ Ewing, Sarah (October 16, 2015). "Verne Troyer: my family values". The Guardian. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ "Verne Troyer respects the Amish lifestyle". The Arizona Republic. January 4, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
- ^ Tunison, John (April 21, 2018). "Verne Troyer, Michigan native who starred as Mini-Me, dead at 49". MLive.com. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Verne Troyer Opens Up About Being Called the M-Word As a Child – and How He Physically Defended Himself Against a Bully". People. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e "Verne Troyer: from Mini-Me to Celebrity Big Brother". The Daily Telegraph. April 22, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ a b "Verne Troyer biography and filmography - Verne Troyer movies". Tribute. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ PowerBook G4 12" 17" Ad. Retrieved April 12, 2024 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "CNN.com - Mini-Me: From stunt double to popular clone - July 30, 2002". CNN. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ "Why 'Austin Powers' Changed Its Original Tragic Ending For Mini-Me". Huffington Post. October 4, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ McKay, Rich (April 21, 2018). "Austin Powers Movies' Mini-Me, Verne Troyer, Dies". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
- ^ "Verne Troyer: a life in pictures". The Guardian. April 21, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ "In pictures: Big Brother Eviction". BBC. April 22, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ Sherri L. Shaulis (July 3, 2008). "AVN Exclusive: Verne Troyer's Ex Discusses Sex Tape, Relationship, More". AVN. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
- ^ Isola, Laurie (June 26, 2008). "Troyer in Sex Tape Scandal". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
- ^ Dobuzinskis, Alex (June 27, 2008). ""Mini-Me" actor Verne Troyer sues over sex tape". Reuters. Archived from the original on April 22, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
- ^ "Mini Me actor Verne Troyer in hospital after alleged incident". Sky News. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
- ^ a b "Actor Verne Troyer in hospital". BBC News. April 4, 2018. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
- ^ "Verne Troyer treated for alcoholism". BBC News. April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
- ^ Chiu, Allyson (October 11, 2018). "Verne Troyer, Mini-Me of 'Austin Powers,' fought a drinking addiction. His death was ruled a suicide by alcohol intoxication". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
- ^ "Verne Troyer's death ruled as suicide". The Guardian. Associated Press. October 10, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
- ^ a b "Farewell, Mini-Me! Verne Troyer Passes Away at 49". Ain't It Cool News. April 21, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ "'Austin Powers' star Verne Troyer dies at age 49". Press-Republican. April 21, 2018. Archived from the original on April 22, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Verne Troyer List of Movies and TV Shows". TV Guide. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ Ashton, Will (April 4, 2018). "Austin Powers Actor Verne Troyer Hospitalized After Apparent Suicide Attempt". CinemaBlend. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Verne J. Troyer". BFI. Archived from the original on April 25, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ "Sundae the Dog". Weasyl. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ "Here Lies Lonely (1999)". Letterboxd. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f Dalton, Andrew (April 21, 2018). "Verne Troyer, Mini-Me from 'Austin Powers' films, has died". Associated Press. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ a b "Verne Troyer". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ "Gnome Alone (2015)". IMDb.
- ^ "The 420 Movie (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "Fight Night". The Girls Next Door. Season 1. Episode 5. August 28, 2005. E!.
- ^ "Half & Half (TV Series 2002–2006)", IMDb, retrieved April 9, 2021
- ^ "Bo! In The USA - Cast, Crew and Credits". TV.com. Archived from the original on June 21, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ "Verne Troyer Then & Now!". Stanton Daily. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ "The Podge and Rodge Show Season 4, Episode 23". HSB Noticias. Archived from the original on May 30, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ "Lemon La Vida Loca". ITV. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ bgo.com TV advertisement featuring Verne Troyer Archived July 6, 2018, at the Wayback Machine from bgo.com
- ^ "CAST|PlayStation4用サバイバルアクションゲーム — Let It Die". letitdie.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved March 17, 2018.
- ^ "Story Cops with Verne Troyer". YouTube. May 31, 2014.
External links
edit- Verne Troyer at IMDb
- Verne Troyer at Find a Grave
- Verne Troyer interview, Movieset.com