Being different should, in one way or another, be celebrated because it is precisely because of diversity that our planet is so exquisitely diversified. But things don’t always work this way. People are hardwired to take offense and feel wounded when they encounter differences. People who suffer from different illnesses and don’t match the stereotype of what many believe to be “normal” are met with rejection rather than acceptance. It will probably take many more years to tackle this issue, but it does need to be addressed.
For actor Verne Troyer, success and reputation-building did not depend on his uniqueness.
In particular, Verne had cartilage-hair hypoplasia, a rare kind of dwarfism, and was nurtured in an Amish setting. His role as Mini-Me in the Austin Powers film series is his most well-known performance.
Growing up, Verne didn’t feel different from other children. However, when it came time for him to start high school, he started to worry about his height, especially since his parents and all of the other family members were average in size.
Luckily, he had his parents to help him discover how to love and accept the person he was. Their conviction that he could do anything he set his mind to, even at his height, gave them a great deal more confidence.
“I never received any trouble from other classmates, however there was one occasion in third grade where a child considerably taller than me called me the M-word [midget], which is pretty rude. Without even thinking, I just jumped into the air and gave him a nose punch. He never disturbed me again, Troyer remembered. He received a scolding for every wrongdoing.
“We were given the belt whenever we disregarded the strict discipline that my parents enforced. That allowed me to pick up right from wrong much more quickly. Though I don’t always agree with it, I recognize that this is a divisive topic these days and that’s how things used to be.
Up to the age of twenty-one, Verne led a regular life, working in Texas as an operator for a telephone company. But one day in 1993, everything would change for the better in his life.
The producers of Baby’s Day Out were having problems finding a stand-in stuntman, so they thought Verne would be a perfect fit for the role when his friend, the president of Little People of America (LPA), got a call from Hollywood.
They must have searched all over for someone nearly the same size as a stand-in, but they were unsuccessful. After I sent in my picture, they flew me over to Hollywood to meet with them. Two days later, I got an offer to work, therefore I quit from Sprint,” the actor said. Verne landed a few tiny jobs before being cast in the iconic role of Mini-Me in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.As everyone knows, he also starred in Austin Powers: Goldmember, the movie that came after. He became well-known for his signature action, which was to put his pinky to the corner of his mouth.
Thanks to his fame, Verne was able to challenge the stereotype of small people, which made him very happy. “I’m not a very confident person, but I grew up with parents who’ve given me the optimism that whatever you put your mind to, you can do,” he said in 2002. He hopes that people will take note of this sentiment.
The audience wanted to see more of Verne, so Mike Myers had to alter the script to keep him alive even though Verne’s character was supposed to die in the film.
“Mini-Me passed away at the conclusion of the examination. “We had to go back and reshoot that because the crowd was upset that Mini-Me was no longer there,” he recalled telling Oprah.
He said that at first, the Mini-Me character wasn’t in the film all that much. “Once we started rehearsal, Mike kept adding more parts and more parts and more parts,” he went on. Working with Mike was enjoyable. He could improvise a lot. It only served to keep you vigilant.
As written, Mini-Me is practically a prop, but Mike Myers went on to say, “He brought it up off the page, made it better than written, and we ended up giving him more and more stuff to do.”
As his career developed, so did his personal life. More specifically, Verne started drinking too much and even experienced mental health issues in the early 2000s. He married model Genevieve Gallen in 2014, but their marriage did not last long. When he came clean about his addiction in public in 2017, the actor was prepared to kick his bad habits and even check himself into rehab.
“Even though it hasn’t always been an easy fight, I’m willing to continue my fight day by day,” he said at that point.
“To continue receiving the assistance I require, I am willingly checking into a rehab facility later this week. I have spent the last week undergoing treatment.
Verne sadly passed away on April 21, 2018. His age was 49.
Given that Verne passed away today, we write this with heavy hearts and profound sorrow. Verne had a great deal of sympathy. He wanted everyone to be happy, laugh, and smile. According to his relatives, he would do whatever it took to help anyone in need.
It was found that Verne Troyer had killed himself not long after he passed away.
“Over the years, he has battled and triumphed, battled and fought some more, but sadly, this time was too much,” the statement read. “Depression and suicide are extremely severe issues. You never know what kind of inner conflict someone is going through. Be kind to one another. And never forget that it’s never too late to ask for help from others.
Mike Mayers remembered his close friend, adding, “He passed away at the age of 49,” in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel. He was supposed to pass away in his teens. This photo collage represents 150 years of life.
“Verne loved everyone so much.” “Whoa! Every time you see him, you think to yourself, “That is a small human.” But in the end, you had only recently seen Verne. It just vanished.He was a cast member and outstanding. I’m hankering after him.
Please consider sharing this post in memory of Verne Troyer.
