Verne Troyer

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Verne Troyer

Troyer (left) with a fan, May 2007
Born January 1, 1969 (1969-01-01) (age 39)
Sturgis, Michigan, USA
Years active (1993-present)

Verne Troyer (born January 1, 1969[1]) is an American actor and stunt man. Verne is notable by his dwarfism, as a result of which he stands 2 feet 8 inches (81 cm) tall. Professionally, he is probably most noted for playing the character of Mini-Me in the Austin Powers movies.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Personal Life

Troyer was born in Sturgis, Michigan, the son of Susan, a factory worker, and Reuben Troyer, a repairman.[2] He has two siblings, Davon and Deborah, and grew up in Centreville, Michigan, graduating high school in 1986. He attended Kellogg Community College in Coldwater, Michigan. On one of the doors for his classes, they installed a special door handle that is still there today.

He married celebrity yoga teacher and swimwear/lingerie model, Genevieve Gallen, on 22 January 2004,[1] but filed for annulment on February 23 that same year.[3]

[edit] Film and TV career

Troyer's most famous role is perhaps Mini-Me in the Austin Powers series of movies, a character who is a miniature clone of Dr. Evil. Other notable roles include a part as the small Bazooka Circus casino employee in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. He was a series regular on the UPN comedy Shasta McNasty. He also played Napoleon Bonaparte in the short-lived syndicated series Jack of All Trades.

Troyer appeared as himself in an Apple Computer commercial for its 12-inch and 17-inch PowerBooks, in which he used the larger computer and NBA star Yao Ming used the smaller one. He also appears as himself in a commercial for GEICO, as well as a commercial for World of Warcraft.[4]

Troyer also appeared on VH1's 4th season of The Surreal Life. Troyer's participation in the show received much media attention when he became drunk and urinated in the weight room's corner while nude on his scooter. Verne returned in 2007 for The Surreal Life: Fame Games, a game show-like version of the show where past cast members returned to see who is the biggest star.

Troyer and Richard Kiel, a very tall (7 feet 1.5 inches (2.17 m)) American actor, are also the protagonists in the Swedish reality show Welcome to Sweden where they travel around in Sweden on scooters. The show was filmed in 2006 and aired on Swedish channel 5 in early 2007.

Troyer has been featured in at least two music videos. For Jamiroquai's single, "Feels Just Like It Should", Troyer played a "free agent" in a white suit and hat. Lead singer, Jay Kay, picked up Troyer by the collar and used him to block incoming laser beams being shot in his direction, then tossed him aside. Troyer made a cameo appearance in rapper Ludacris' Austin Powers in Goldmember-themed video of "#1 Spot", in which he plays the Mini-Me version of Ludacris.

Troyer's stunt double is Gregory Ian Moore of Professional Wrestling Fame.

[edit] Filmography

As actor
Upcoming
As stuntman

[edit] Television work

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Verne Troyer at the Internet Movie Database
  2. ^ Verne Troyer Biography (1969-) from FilmReference.com
  3. ^ Mini-Me Actor Challenges Model's Marriage Claims. IMDB. Retrieved on 21 January 2007.
  4. ^ Mini-Me Loves World of Warcraft from Hallpass]

[edit] External links

v • d • e
The Surreal Life
Cast
Spinoffs