After rising to fame in 1994 for his role in Baby’s Day Out, Verne Troyer spent 24 years in the public eye before his death at the age of 49 yesterday.
Perhaps best known for his role as Mini-Me in the Austin Powers franchise, Verne amassed a considerable fanbase, and was well regarded within the industry.
Indeed, his Austin Powers co-star, Mike Myers, spoke of the actor’s exceptional work etiquette and positive outlook in the hours that followed the announcement of his untimely passing.
Verne was the consummate professional and a beacon of positivity for those of us who had the honor of working with him. It is a sad day, but I hope he’s in a better place. He will be greatly missed.
While described as a ‘beacon of positivity’ by Myers, the statement released by Verne’s publicist following his passing made reference to an ongoing battle fought by the actor, who lived with a rare genetic disorder known as cartilage-hair hypoplasia.
Verne was also a fighter when it came to his own battles. 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. Be kind to one another. And always know, it’s never too late to reach out to someone for help.
Social media has been awash with countless tributes to the actor following the announcement, however it has also played host to numerous jokes referring to the actor’s appearance and medical condition.
The tasteless posts have become the subject of intense criticism from Twitter users, who appealed to those contributing to the narrative to consider the sentiment contained within the statement released by Verne’s representatives.
Here are a just a few of the most poignant responses to the hurtful posts which have circulated in the hours following the actor’s death.
