Los Angeles: Verne Troyer, the diminutive actor who starred in the Austin Powers movies as Mini-Me, died on Saturday at a hospital in Los Angeles. He was 49.

"It is with great sadness and heavy hearts to write that Verne passed away today," his family posted on his Instagram account.

The cause of death was not announced, but the family wrote that "depression and suicide are very serious issues".

"You never know what kind of battle someone is going through inside. But be kind to one another. And always know, it's never too late to reach out to someone for help," they said.

Troyer, who was 2 feet 8 inches tall, is best known for Austin Powers movies The Spy Who Shagged Me and Austin Power in Goldmember.

He also had the role of the goblin Griphook in the Harry Potter movies.

Troyer's height was because of achondroplasia dwarfism, Variety reported.

He had more than 25 other film credits to his name, including roles in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Love Guru and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.

His family said he was recently baptised. Reuters