Ludacris posted throwback photo on Instangram on Saturday in memory of Verne Troyer, the actor best known for portraying Mini Me in the Austin Powers movies.
Ludacris posted a snapshot from his 2010 music video for “Number One Spot,” which Troyer was featured in.
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“R.I.P. Verne Troyer aka Mini Me. You made it to that #1 Spot Glad we got to make history together,” he wrote with the hashtag, “gone to soon” and “love.”
Troyer passed away on Saturday afternoon, according to a post on his Instagram made by his family. He had struggled for years with severe alcoholism, and he was hospitalized on April 3 after police received a tip that he might be suicidal.
In the “Number One Spot” music video, Troyer plays a version of his Mini Me character, though instead of a small doppelganger of Mike Myers, he’s dressed up like Ludacris, riding in a sling on the rapper’s front.
While he is most recognizable as the star from Austin Powers, The Love Guru, Postal and several other major box office comedies, Troyer had become a star in his own right through social media. The actor had a substantial following on YouTube, where he regularly posts vlogs, Q&A videos, cooking videos and challenges for his followers.
He was also popular on Instagram, where his family posted news of his passing.
“It is with great sadness and incredibly heavy hearts to write that Verne passed away today,” read the family’s statement. “Verne was an extremely caring individual. He wanted to make everyone smile, be happy, and laugh. Anybody in need, he would help to any extent possible. Verne hoped he made a positive change with the platform he had and worked towards spreading that message everyday.”
The post described Troyer’s magnanimous demeanor, how he could lighten the mood in a room and inspire others with apparent ease. However, it also discussed his struggles with mental health and substance abuse.
“Depression and Suicide are very serious issues,” it said. “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.”
Troyer was hospitalized in 2002, when he reportedly almost died of alcohol poisoning. More recently, he spent two weeks in the hospital last April, after reportedly drinking too much on his way to rehab. After that, he entered an extensive treatment program.
Troyer was 49 years old at the time of his passing.
