Verne Jay Troyer (January 1, 1969 – April 21, 2018) was an American actor, comedian and occasional stunt coordinator and performer. He was best known for playing Mini-Me in the Austin Powers film series. He had cartilage–hair hypoplasia and was tall.As stated by Troyer during interview on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, September 25, 2009.
Early life Troyer was born in Sturgis, Michigan, on January 1, 1969, the son of Susan, a factory worker, and Reuben Troyer, a repair technician. 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." Troyer was initially raised Amish, but his parents left the faith when he was a child. During his childhood, Troyer spent much time visiting Amish relatives in Centreville, Michigan. He graduated in 1987 from Centreville High School, where a plaque was dedicated to him in 2003.
Career Troyer'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). 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), and My Giant (1998). He is also known for an appearance in an Apple PowerBook G4 advertisement.
He first met with Jay Roach to discuss portraying Mini-Me in the Austin Powers series, 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. Troyer reprised the role three years later in Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), and collaborated again with Myers on The Love Guru (2008).
After reaching a large audience as Mini-Me, Troyer portrayed Griphook in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001), and played the role of Percy in Terry Gilliam's fantasy film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009). He also made several appearances as himself in reality television series, including The Surreal Life (2005), Welcome to Sweden (2007), and the British Celebrity Big Brother 6 (2009), in which he placed fourth.
Personal life On 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, was leaked to the public by Shrider and TMZ. Kevin Blatt, the man responsible for brokering the deal for Paris Hilton's sex tape in 2003, tried to sell the video. Troyer sued TMZ, Blatt, and online rental company SugarDVD, for invasion of privacy and copyright infringement.
Troyer was dating actress Brittney Powell, as well as living with her and her son from a previous marriage, at the time of his death.
Death In early April 2018, Troyer was admitted to a hospital after an incident in his home. He had previously been admitted to rehab to undergo treatment for alcoholism.
Troyer died at a Los Angeles hospital on April 21, 2018, at age 49. His death was later ruled a suspected suicide by alcohol intoxication. He was interred in Leonidas Cemetery in St. Joseph County, Michigan.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1994 Baby's Day Out Baby Bink's stunt double Debut role 1996 Dunston Checks In Jingle All the Way Little Santa Claus Pinocchio's Revenge Pinocchio's Miniature Double 1997 Volcano Men in Black Alien Son Wishmaster Creature Stage #1 RocketMan 1998 My Giant Wrestler Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Wee Waiter Credited as Verne J. Troya The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald SundaeDirect-to-videoVoice by Dee Bradley Baker Mighty Joe Young Baby Joe 1999 Here Lies Lonely Virgil Instinct Gorilla Performer Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Mini-Me Credited as Verne J. Troya 2000 Bit Players Marty Rosenthal How the Grinch Stole Christmas Band Member 2001 Bubble Boy Dr. Phreak Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Griphook Voice by Warwick Davis 2002 Run for the Money Attila Austin Powers in Goldmember Mini-Me 2003 Pauly Shore Is Dead Himself 2007 Postal Himself 2008 The Love Guru Coach Punch Cherkov College Himself 2009 The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Percy 2012 Keith Lemon: The Film Archimedes 2013 Convenience Dwight 2015 Trailer Park Boys: Drunk, High, and Unemployed: Live in Austin Himself Gnome Alone The Gnome 2018 The Delivery The Boss Short film Posthumous release2019Aliens, Clowns & Geeks Emperor Beezel-ChuggPosthumous release2020The 420 Movie: Mary & Jane Tito the Terrible Posthumous release Final film role
Television Year(s) Title Role Notes 1995–1996 Saban's Masked Rider Ferbus Suit Actor <ref name="People" />1999–2000Shasta McNastyVerne2000Jack of All TradesNapoleon Bonaparte2002Sabrina the Teenage WitchAngus2003Boston PublicTaylor Prentice2 episodes Scrubs Small Man at Bar "My Drama Queen"2004Karroll's ChristmasSpike2005The Girls Next DoorHimselfEpisode "Fight Night"The Surreal LifeHimselfHalf & HalfReggie"The Big Thorne in My Side Episode"2006Bo! in the USA2007The Surreal Life: Fame GamesHimselfWelcome to SwedenHimself2008The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest...CommentatorThe Podge and Rodge ShowHimself2008–2015Celebrity JuiceHimself2009Celebrity Big BrotherHimselfFriday Night with Jonathan RossHimselfThe Paul O'Grady ShowHimselfWWE RawGuest host2013Lemon La Vida LocaHimselfThe Body Shocking ShowHimselfLegitHimself2014BGO.com TV Campaignbgo.com TV advertisement featuring Verne Troyer from bgo.comWhose Line Is It Anyway?HimselfSeason 10, episode 3Through the KeyholeHimself2015Celebrity Wife SwapHimself 2017 Trailer Park Boys: Out of the Park: USA Himself Episode: "Los Angeles 2"
Music videos Year Artist Song Album 1999 Madonna "Beautiful Stranger" Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Mel B "Word Up" Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me2000Limp Bizkit"My Generation"Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water 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 Year Title Voice role 2016 Let It Die Jackal X
Web Year Title Role Notes 2013 Story Cops with Verne Troyer Glenn Peck Funny or Die exclusive 2018 My 90-Year-Old Roommate Verne Troyer Episode: "Verne Troyer"; posthumous release
References
External links
Verne Troyer interview, Movieset.com