Actor Verne Troyer has died aged just 49, according to a post on his official Facebook page.
The star was best known for playing Mini-Me in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me alongside Mike Myers - however, one thing that's less well-known is just how popular Troyer was.
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In fact, Mini-Me was so beloved by audiences that script writers made changes to the film's ending so the character didn't get killed off.
Speaking on Oprah: Where Are They Now? Troyer said: "When they did a test screening, Mini-Me died at the end.
"We had to go back and reshoot that because the crowd was upset that Mini-Me was no longer there."
Troyer said the whole cast were surprised that audiences loved the supposedly evil clone, and that initially he was never given much screen-time.
"In the beginning, Mini-Me character wasn't in the film that much," he said. "Once we started rehearsal, Mike kept adding more parts and more parts and more parts."
The pair got on like a house on fire, apparently, with Troyer adding: "Working with Mike was great. He improv'd a lot. It just kept you on your toes."
And the feeling was mutual, with Mike Myers telling The View: "I had written Mini-Me to not talk, but within five minutes of meeting Verne I was, like, 'what an idiot, this guy is so funny'.
"But you know, the train had sailed, but in the back of my head I was, like, 'I gotta write something where this guy can talk'."
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He went on to say: "Verne is hilarious in this movie [The Love Guru]. I cannot even look at him now without seeing the mean, evil coach."
He also praised Troyer for doing his own
stunts and his dedication to getting the job done.
The pair appeared in three films together - two Austin Powers titles and The Love Guru.
Featured Image Credit: New Line CinemaTopics: TV and Film, Mike Myers