Austin Powers Star Verne Troyer's Death Has Been Labelled As A Suicide

In April, Verne Troyer tragically passed away at the age of 49. The actor, best known for his role as Mini-Me in the Austin Powers sequels, had a history with depression and addiction-- and there is reason to believe that his unexpected passing was ultimately self-inflicted. Unfortunately, as it was revealed by the Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner, the cause of death was deemed suicidal, as the character actor sadly died due to alcohol abuse.

According to the coroner, Verne Troyer's body contained a blood alcohol content that exceeded 0.08. That's considered to be more than three times the legal limit, according to NBC News. To be more specific, the coroner claimed Troyer died from "sequelae of alcohol intoxication." He consumed a fatal amount of alcohol, the report states, and it comes to a sad end for the actor who was open about his struggles with alcoholism and depression.

Shortly before Verne Troyer passed away, he was hospitalized for what was deemed at the time as an apparent suicide. Law enforcement officers and fire department paramedics inside the Los Angeles area were sent to the comedy performer's house, after a friend of Troyer's called the police claiming that the Austin Powers actor's behavior was "extremely upset, drunk and suicidal." His ongoing battle with alcoholism was well documented; he was admitted to the hospital for addiction treatment only a year before he passed away. Unfortunately, his addictions were being battled until his final days.

Upon his death, a spokesperson on the late actor's behalf wrote the following statement on Verne Troyer's Facebook page. In the mournful address, Troyer was remembered as an "extremely caring individual," one who "wanted to make everyone smile, be happy, and laugh." Here's what was stated.

In addition to his work in the popular Austin Powers franchise, where he played Mini-Me in both sequels, 1999's Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and 2002's Austin Powers in Goldmember, Verne Troyer is also seen and remembered by his appearances in other movies.

Those films include The Love Guru; Bubble Boy; The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus; Men in Black; How the Grinch Stole Christmas; Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Postal, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, to name a mere few. On TV, Troyer also made appearances on Trailer Park Boys, Scrubs, MADtv and more.

There's no denying that Verne Troyer is beloved and missed, and to know that his untimely death was self-inflicted adds a great weight of tragedy to the popular comedic actor's indelible pop culture legacy, an unparalleled talent that won't soon be forgotten. If you or someone you know have thoughts about suicide, reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK, which is available 24/7 across the United States.