Hollywood is in mourning after the character actor Michael Madsen, best known for starring in the Quentin Tarantino movies Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, was found dead on Thursday morning. Indeed, he was 67 years-old.
Madsen Found Dead
Madsen was found unresponsive early this morning in his home in Malibu, California. Police rushed to the scene, where Madsen was pronounced dead at 8:25am.
Liz Rodriguez, the actor’s rep at EMR Media Entertainment, told The Hollywood Reporter that “we understand Michael had a cardiac arrest.”
Madsen’s managers Susan Ferris and Ron Smith later joined Rodriguez in paying tribute to the star.
“In the last two years Michael Madsen has been doing some incredible work with independent film including upcoming feature films Resurrection Road, Concessions and Cookbook for Southern Housewives, and was really looking forward to this next chapter in his life,” they told NBC Los Angeles.
“Michael was also preparing to release a new book called ‘Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems,‘ currently being edited,” they continued. “Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, who will be missed by many.”
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Madsen’s History
Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1957, Madsen was the son of a firefighter father and an Emmy-winning filmmaker mother. He began his Hollywood career in the early 1980s. He would go on to compile a whopping 346 film and television credits, according to his IMDB page.
Madsen’s official bio states that he “balanced intensity with introspection … whether delivering chilling dialogue or quietly capturing a moment behind the camera, his commitment to storytelling remained constant. He brought both edge and soul to every role, and his enduring influence on American cinema is undeniable.”
Madsen appeared in such classic movies as WarGames (1983), The Natural (1984), The Doors (1991), Thelma & Louise (1991), Free Willy (1993), Species (1995), Donnie Brasco (1997), Die Another Day (2002), Sin City (2005) and Scary Movie 4 (2006).
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Madsen Talks Fame
“Fame is a two-edged sword,” Madsen told THR in 2018. “There are a lot of blessings but also a lot of heavy things that come with it. I think it has a lot to do with the characters I’ve played. I think I’ve been more believable than I should have been, I think people really fear me. They see me and go: ‘Holy [expletive], there’s that guy!’
“But I’m not that guy. I’m just an actor, I’m a father, I’ve got seven children. I’m married, I’ve been married 20 years,” he continued. “When I’m not making a movie, I’m home, in pajamas, watching The Rifleman on TV. Hopefully with my 12-year-old making me a cheeseburger. I sure as hell had my rabble-rousing days, but sooner or later you have to get over that and move on.”
Madsen then acknowledged that some of his more recent films were forgettable.
“Well, sometimes people forget that sometimes you have to pay the mortgage. Sometimes you have to put your kids through school,” he explained. “You can’t always pick the greatest script. And you pick a project you probably shouldn’t be involved in, and then you have to live with it all your life.”
Madsen was the father of six children. Sadly, his son Hudson died by suicide in 2022 at the age of 26.
Madsen is survived by his other children and by his wife DeAnna, who he’d been married to for 29 years. He is also survived by his mother and by two sisters, one of whom is the Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen.
Rest in peace, Michael Madsen.
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