'Austin Powers' Actor Verne Troyer Dead At 49

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) – "Austin Powers" actor Verne Troyer has died. He was 49 years old.

"It is with great sadness and incredibly heavy hearts to write that Verne passed away today," said a statement on his Instagram page.

"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," the statement continued. "During this recent time of adversity he was baptized while surrounded by his family. The family appreciates that they have this time to grieve privately."

The actor, best known for playing the character "Mini Me," was hospitalized earlier this month in Los Angeles, CBS News reported.

"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," the statement continued.

Troyer appeared in 1999's "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" and 2002's "Austin Powers in Goldmember," in which "Mini-Me" switches sides and becomes a miniature version of Powers. Both hero and villain were played by Myers, who also put Troyer in his 2008 film "The Love Guru."

"Verne was the consummate professional and a beacon of positivity for those of us who had the honor of working with him," Myers said in a statement. "It is a sad day, but I hope he is in a better place. He will be greatly missed."

He also played the banker goblin Griphook in 2001's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and appeared on dozens of TV shows including "Boston Public," ''Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and "MADtv."

Troyer was born in 1969 in Sturgis, Michigan with achondroplasia, a genetic condition that kept him less than 3 feet tall.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)