
Michael Madsen, star of 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'Kill Bill,' dies at 67
The actor was found unresponsive early Thursday at his home in Malibu, they said.
"Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood's most iconic actors, who will be missed by many," his managers Susan Ferris and Ron Smith said in a joint statement with his publicist, Liz Rodriguez.
Madsen's most iconic performances include Mr. Blonde, a psychopathic criminal in the 1992 crime thriller "Reservoir Dogs," and Budd, the younger brother of the antagonist in the "Kill Bill" movies, both directed by Tarantino.
In addition to his appearances in other Tarantino films like "The Hateful Eight" and "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood," Madsen's prolific career saw him play more than 300 roles over the course of 40 years.
Among his other notable films are "Thelma & Louise," "Free Willy," "Donnie Brasco" and the 2002 James Bond flick "Die Another Day."
Madsen also did voiceovers for several video games, including "Grand Theft Auto III," and published several volumes of poetry.
Madsen was born on September 25, 1957 in Chicago to a firefighter father and a filmmaker mother. His sister, Virginia Madsen, is also an actress.
He married three times over the course of his life and had six children, one of whom died by suicide in 2022.--AFP
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Oasis reunite after 16 years, thrilling 74,000 fans in Cardiff
CARDIFF: British rock legends Oasis kicked off a hotly anticipated worldwide reunion tour Friday in Cardiff, delighting fans with a comeback performance few thought possible after their acrimonious split nearly 16 years ago. The Manchester rockers, who shot to fame in the mid-1990s Britpop era, reeled off a string of their biggest hits in front of a 74,000-strong crowd in the Welsh capital, leaving those there in raptures. "It was fantastic – everything we dreamed about," said Sebastian Vyrtz, 37, from Denmark. "Great songs, no nonsense. It was like a hit parade." Frontman Liam Gallagher told the crowd packed into the Principality Stadium it had "been too long" as he spearheaded a two-hour set featuring classics like "Champagne Supernova", "Stand By Me" and "Supersonic." The once-warring Gallagher brothers, Liam and Noel also sang together on "Roll With It." The band thanked fans for "putting up with us over the years" as they closed out a jubilant first night of their Oasis Live '25 tour. They play a second night in Cardiff Saturday, kickstarting 41 concerts around the world that includes five hometown gigs in Manchester starting July 11. Further sold-out British and Irish concerts will follow at London's Wembley Stadium, Edinburgh's Murrayfield and Dublin's Croke Park, before visiting other countries. The band's 1990s gigs are the stuff of legend but the chance to see them perform again was long seen as a remote prospect, following one of music's bitterest break-ups. Fans travelled from far and wide, including from across the Americas and various European and other countries, to pack the stadium from late afternoon, and were not left disappointed hours later. Frank Gonzales, 49, from California, told AFP he was struck by how "emotionally" impacted he was. "I've seen them several times before, but (there was) something about them being back together again that I never thought I'd see. It was brilliant. "It was more than just a show... I had my arms around complete strangers." A carnival-like atmosphere had built in Cardiff through the day, with hordes of fans in Oasis t-shirts filling the streets as the sound of the band's various hits drifted through the air. Crowds packed pubs and outdoor terraces also bellowed out the band's anthems, while merchandise stands did a brisk trade. The tour is expected to be a boon for the struggling UK economy, with fans spending on tickets, transport and accommodation. Oasis announced the comeback tour last August, days before the 30th anniversary of their debut album "Definitely Maybe." The Gallagher brothers maintained a war of words about each other for more than a decade, performing individually over those years but never together. They now appear to have put their differences aside. Although the duo did not engage in any on-stage banter Friday, they briefly high fived and hugged each other's shoulders following their closing track. Last summer's reunion announcement sparked a chaotic clamour for tickets that devolved into outrage over sudden price hikes and saw Britain's competition watchdog threaten legal action. Resale tickets costing thousands of pounds have surfaced, while fans have also been targeted by online scams. Liam appeared to make light of the furore Friday, reportedly telling fans: "Are you having a good time? Was it worth the £40,000 you paid for the ticket?" Leaving the arena, Debbie Bonfield, 65, from Wales, said "what they charged the fans was a rip-off" but added "the atmosphere and everything made up for it." "It was amazing – loved it," she told AFP. During the final bars of "Live Forever" a picture of Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident Thursday, was displayed, with the crowd cheering and applauding the gesture. Oasis are being supported in the UK by Richard Ashcroft, frontman of British rock band The Verve, as well as 1990s indie band Cast. Starting his debut tour performance, Ashcroft said he was "proud to be here on this historic night", joking that he felt like he was in Oasis. He then launched into "Sonnet", the 1997 hit song he released as frontman of The Verve. The Principality Stadium has its roof closed for both nights, adding to what fans described as an "incredible" atmosphere, with attendees bonding strongly. "I've never experienced anything like it," said Parisian David Mace. Oasis reportedly began jamming together months ago, before rehearsing in London more recently. The band has welcomed several new members for the tour, including a keyboard player and drummer.--AFP


Malaysian Reserve
6 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
UK rock legends Oasis kick off 'historic' comeback tour
CARDIFF — British rock legends Oasis kicked off a hotly anticipated worldwide reunion tour Friday in Cardiff, delighting fans with a comeback performance few thought possible after their acrimonious split nearly 16 years ago. The Manchester rockers, who shot to fame in the mid-1990s Britpop era, reeled off a string of their biggest hits in front of a 74,000-strong crowd in the Welsh capital, leaving those there in raptures. 'It was fantastic — everything we dreamed about,' said Sebastian Vyrtz, 37, from Denmark. 'Great songs, no nonsense. It was like a hit parade.' Frontman Liam Gallagher told the crowd packed into the Principality Stadium it had 'been too long' as he spearheaded a two-hour set featuring classics like 'Champagne Supernova', 'Stand By Me' and 'Supersonic'. The once-warring Gallagher brothers, Liam and Noel also sang together on 'Roll With It'. The band thanked fans for 'putting up with us over the years' as they closed out a jubilant first night of their Oasis Live '25 tour. They play a second night in Cardiff Saturday, kickstarting 41 concerts around the world that includes five hometown gigs in Manchester starting July 11. Further sold-out British and Irish concerts will follow at London's Wembley Stadium, Edinburgh's Murrayfield and Dublin's Croke Park, before visiting other countries. The band's 1990s gigs are the stuff of legend but the chance to see them perform again was long seen as a remote prospect, following one of music's bitterest break-ups. Carnival atmosphere Fans travelled from far and wide, including from across the Americas and various European and other countries, to pack the stadium from late afternoon, and were not left disappointed hours later. Frank Gonzales, 49, from California, told AFP he was struck by how 'emotionally' impacted he was. 'I've seen them several times before, but (there was) something about them being back together again that I never thought I'd see. It was brilliant. 'It was more than just a show… I had my arms around complete strangers.' A carnival-like atmosphere had built in Cardiff through the day, with hordes of fans in Oasis t-shirts filling the streets as the sound of the band's various hits drifted through the air. Crowds packed pubs and outdoor terraces also bellowed out the band's anthems, while merchandise stands did a brisk trade. The tour is expected to be a boon for the struggling UK economy, with fans spending on tickets, transport and accommodation. Oasis announced the comeback tour last August, days before the 30th anniversary of their debut album 'Definitely Maybe'. The Gallagher brothers maintained a war of words about each other for more than a decade, performing individually over those years but never together. They now appear to have put their differences aside. Although the duo did not engage in any on-stage banter Friday, they briefly high fived and hugged each other's shoulders following their closing track. 'Amazing' Last summer's reunion announcement sparked a chaotic clamour for tickets that devolved into outrage over sudden price hikes and saw Britain's competition watchdog threaten legal action. Resale tickets costing thousands of pounds have surfaced, while fans have also been targeted by online scams. Liam appeared to make light of the furore Friday, reportedly telling fans: 'Are you having a good time? Was it worth the £40,000 you paid for the ticket?' Leaving the arena, Debbie Bonfield, 65, from Wales, said 'what they charged the fans was a rip-off' but added 'the atmosphere and everything made up for it.' 'It was amazing — loved it,' she told AFP. During the final bars of 'Live Forever' a picture of Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident Thursday, was displayed, with the crowd cheering and applauding the gesture. Oasis are being supported in the UK by Richard Ashcroft, frontman of British rock band The Verve, as well as 1990s indie band Cast. Starting his debut tour performance, Ashcroft said he was 'proud to be here on this historic night', joking that he felt like he was in Oasis. He then launched into 'Sonnet', the 1997 hit song he released as frontman of The Verve. The Principality Stadium has its roof closed for both nights, adding to what fans described as an 'incredible' atmosphere, with attendees bonding strongly. 'I've never experienced anything like it,' said Parisian David Mace. Oasis reportedly began jamming together months ago, before rehearsing in London more recently. The band has welcomed several new members for the tour, including a keyboard player and drummer. — AFP


The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Michael Madsen, 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'Kill Bill' star, dies at 67
Actor Michael Madsen appears at the premiere of The Hateful Eight' in Los Angeles on Dec. 7, 2015. — Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Michael Madsen, the actor best known for his coolly menacing, steely-eyed, often sadistic characters in the films of Quentin Tarantino including Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 , has died. Madsen was found unresponsive in his home in Malibu, California, on Thursday morning and pronounced dead, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Watch Commander Christopher Jauregui said. He is believed to have died of natural causes and authorities do not suspect any foul play was involved. Madsen's manager Ron Smith said cardiac arrest was the apparent cause. He was 67. Madsen's career spanned more than 300 credits stretching back to the early 1980s, many in low-budget and independent films. He often played low-level thugs, gangsters and shady cops in small roles. Tarantino would use that identity, but make him a main character. His torture of a captured police officer in Tarantino's 1992 directorial debut Reservoir Dogs , in which Madsen's black-suited bank robber Vic Mr. Blonde Vega severs the man's ear while dancing to Stealers Wheel's Stuck in the Middle with You was an early career-defining moment for both director and actor. He would become a Tarantino regular. He had a small role as the cowboy-hatted desert dweller Budd, a member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, in 2003's Kill Bill: Vol. 1 , then a starring role the following year in the sequel, in which he battles with Uma Thurman's protagonist The Bride and buries her alive. Madsen also appeared in Tarantino's The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood . He was an alternate choice to play the hit man role that revived John Travolta's career in 1994's Pulp Fiction . The character, Vincent Vega, is the brother of Madsen's Reservoir Dogs robber in Tarantino's cinematic universe. Madsen was born in Chicago to a family of three children. His sister is Oscar-nominated Sideways actor Virginia Madsen. He performed on stage with Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company alongside actors including John Malkovich. During a handprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in November 2020, Michael Madsen reflected on his first visit to Hollywood in the early 1980s. "I got out and I walked around and I looked and I wondered if there were someday some way that that was going to be a part of me. And I didn't know because I didn't know what I was going to do at that point with myself," he said. "I could have been a bricklayer. I could have been an architect. I could have been a garbage man. I could have been nothing. But I got lucky. I got lucky as an actor." His first film role of any significance was in the 1983 hacker thriller WarGames with Matthew Broderick. The following year he played pro baseball player Bump Bailey alongside Robert Redford in The Natural . He spent much of the rest of the 1980s doing one-off guest roles on television dramas including Miami Vice and Quantum Leap . 1991 would bring a career boost with roles in The Doors , where he played a buddy of Val Kilmer's Jim Morrison, and Thelma and Louise where he played the boyfriend of Susan Sarandon's Louise. Then would come Reservoir Dogs . In 1995, he played a black ops mercenary in the sci-fi thriller Species and in 1997 he was third billed after Al Pacino and Johnny Depp as a member of a crew of gangsters in Donnie Brasco . He occasionally played against type. In the 1993 family orca adventure Free Willy he was the foster father to the orphan protagonist. Madsen would return to smaller roles but worked constantly in the final two decades of his career. "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," his managers Smith and Susan Ferris and publicist Liz Rodriguez said in a statement "Michael was also preparing to release a new book called Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems currently being edited ." They added that he was one of Hollywood's most iconic actors, who will be missed by many. – AP