Actor Verne Troyer - best known for his role as 'Mini-Me' in the Austin Powers movies, has died aged 49.
A statement was posted on his official Facebook page confirming he died this morning, NZT.
"Verne was an extremely caring individual. He wanted to make everyone smile, be happy, and laugh," the statement said.
"Anybody in need, he would help to any extent possible.
"Verne hoped he made a positive change with the platform he had and worked towards spreading that message everyday.
"Over the years he's struggled and won, struggled and won, struggled and fought some more, but unfortunately this time was too much.
"Depression and Suicide are very serious issues ... you never know what kind of battle someone is going through inside."
A cause of death has not been confirmed, but TMZ reports Troyer had suffered from alcohol issues recently.
Troyer was a distinctive and well-known actor due to his genetic achondroplasia dwarfism, and he also appeared in shows like Scrubs and Boston Legal.
He also appeared in movies such as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Men in Black, Jingle All the Way and Dunston Checks in.
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