Michael Madsen, actor of ‘Kill Bill' and ‘Reservoir Dogs' fame, dead at 67
Rodriguez told CNN that Madsen had a cardiac arrest and was found unresponsive in his Malibu home Thursday morning.
'Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood's most iconic actors, who will be missed by many,' said a joint statement from his managers Susan Ferris and Ron Smith of Bohemia Entertainment and Rodriguez.
Sgt. Christopher Jauregui, watch commander for Los Angeles Sheriff Department Lost Hills Station confirmed to CNN Thursday that deputies responded to Madsen's home in Malibu this morning and found him 'unresponsive.'
He was pronounced dead at 8:25 a.m. local time and no foul play is suspected, Jauregui added.
Madsen was a prolific dramatic actor who was best known for his work in several of Tarantino's films, including 'Reservoir Dogs,' 'Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood' and the 'Kill Bill' films.
Known for his stony looks and calm, sometimes menacing demeanor, Madsen could play a fierce villain (see 'Kill Bill') as well as a protagonist, as seen in 1995's 'Species.'
Having gotten his start in TV in the early '80s – an early role on 'St. Elsewhere in 1983 first put him on the map – Madsen soon transitioned to films, where he made an impression in 1991's Ridley Scott-directed hit 'Thelma & Louise,' in which he played Louise's (Susan Sarandon) put-upon love interest Jimmy.
The next year saw his first collaboration with Tarantino in 'Reservoir Dogs,' the uber-violent ensemble piece in which Madsen played the sadistic Mr. Blonde.
Thus began a prolific time for the actor – who appeared in primarily action films along with westerns like 1994's 'Wyatt Earp.'
While much of Madsen's oeuvre strayed into B-movie territory, he continued to appear in higher profile hits as well, such as 'Donnie Brasco' in 1997, the James Bond film 'Die Another Day' in 2002, and 2005's 'Sin City.'
Madsen's knack for demented villains was perfected in his portrayal of Sidewinder in the 'Kill Bill' franchise, one of the foes Uma Thurman's Bride must vanquish before defeating her main nemesis. The films were split into two volumes in 2003 and 2004.
Other roles in which he shined include 2004's noir western 'Renegade' and 'The Hateful Eight,' another Tarantino film, from 2015.
'My career is like a heart monitor,' he said in a 1992 interview on the 'Reservoir Dogs' DVD. 'I get involved in a good project now and then to keep things going ... every movie you make can't be great, no matter who you are.'
Madsen's off-screen life was marked by some legal and personal troubles.
Last year, he was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery misdemeanor after a dispute with his wife DeAnna Madsen, according to Variety and online arrest records.
The actor filed for divorce from DeAnna Madsen one month later.
In 2019, Madsen was arrested for DUI, his second within 10 years, and in 2012, was arrested following a physical altercation with his then-teenage son.
Madsen was open about his struggles, telling the Independent in a 2020 interview that he went through some 'terrible, terrible times,' including his DUIs and an injury following a motorcycle accident.
'Fame is not what it's cracked up to be,' he added. 'I'm not complaining, because I've had a great life. But it can wreak havoc on you if you're not protected.'
In 2022, Madsen's son Hudson died by suicide in Hawaii.
'I didn't see any signs of depression. It's so tragic and sad. I'm just trying to make sense of everything and understand what happened,' Madsen told the LA Times.
With over 320 credits to his name on IMDb, Madsen also had a whopping 18 titles in development at the time of his death.
In the statement from his representatives following his death, they said Madsen had been 'doing some incredible work with independent film including upcoming feature films 'Resurrection Road', 'Concessions' and 'Cookbook for Southern Housewives.''
He was, the statement said, 'really looking forward to this next chapter in his life.'
'Cookbook' is a crime drama set in the early '70s in the American South, while 'Concessions' follows the closing of a legendary movie theater and costars Josh Hamilton.
According to his IMDb, Madsen was also set to appear in 'Saturday at the Starlight,' a comedy set at a roller rink in the 1990s costarring Abigail Breslin and Denise Richards, and 'Oldfellas,' about aging mobsters at a retirement resort.
Madsen was also preparing to release a book called 'Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems.'
'You'll make a great film when you least expect it, or don't really anticipate it ... I don't have a crystal ball or time machine, I can't know what's going to happen,' Madsen told Vulture in 2008. 'I just want longevity.' — CNN
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Saudi Gazette
4 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Michael Madsen, actor of ‘Kill Bill' and ‘Reservoir Dogs' fame, dead at 67
LOS ANGELES — Actor Michael Madsen, a stoic actor who worked frequently with director Quentin Tarantino and appeared in various acclaimed films from the 1980s onward, has died, according to his publicist Liz Rodriguez. He was 67. Rodriguez told CNN that Madsen had a cardiac arrest and was found unresponsive in his Malibu home Thursday morning. 'Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood's most iconic actors, who will be missed by many,' said a joint statement from his managers Susan Ferris and Ron Smith of Bohemia Entertainment and Rodriguez. Sgt. Christopher Jauregui, watch commander for Los Angeles Sheriff Department Lost Hills Station confirmed to CNN Thursday that deputies responded to Madsen's home in Malibu this morning and found him 'unresponsive.' He was pronounced dead at 8:25 a.m. local time and no foul play is suspected, Jauregui added. Madsen was a prolific dramatic actor who was best known for his work in several of Tarantino's films, including 'Reservoir Dogs,' 'Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood' and the 'Kill Bill' films. Known for his stony looks and calm, sometimes menacing demeanor, Madsen could play a fierce villain (see 'Kill Bill') as well as a protagonist, as seen in 1995's 'Species.' Having gotten his start in TV in the early '80s – an early role on 'St. Elsewhere in 1983 first put him on the map – Madsen soon transitioned to films, where he made an impression in 1991's Ridley Scott-directed hit 'Thelma & Louise,' in which he played Louise's (Susan Sarandon) put-upon love interest Jimmy. The next year saw his first collaboration with Tarantino in 'Reservoir Dogs,' the uber-violent ensemble piece in which Madsen played the sadistic Mr. Blonde. Thus began a prolific time for the actor – who appeared in primarily action films along with westerns like 1994's 'Wyatt Earp.' While much of Madsen's oeuvre strayed into B-movie territory, he continued to appear in higher profile hits as well, such as 'Donnie Brasco' in 1997, the James Bond film 'Die Another Day' in 2002, and 2005's 'Sin City.' Madsen's knack for demented villains was perfected in his portrayal of Sidewinder in the 'Kill Bill' franchise, one of the foes Uma Thurman's Bride must vanquish before defeating her main nemesis. The films were split into two volumes in 2003 and 2004. Other roles in which he shined include 2004's noir western 'Renegade' and 'The Hateful Eight,' another Tarantino film, from 2015. 'My career is like a heart monitor,' he said in a 1992 interview on the 'Reservoir Dogs' DVD. 'I get involved in a good project now and then to keep things going ... every movie you make can't be great, no matter who you are.' Madsen's off-screen life was marked by some legal and personal troubles. Last year, he was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery misdemeanor after a dispute with his wife DeAnna Madsen, according to Variety and online arrest records. The actor filed for divorce from DeAnna Madsen one month later. In 2019, Madsen was arrested for DUI, his second within 10 years, and in 2012, was arrested following a physical altercation with his then-teenage son. Madsen was open about his struggles, telling the Independent in a 2020 interview that he went through some 'terrible, terrible times,' including his DUIs and an injury following a motorcycle accident. 'Fame is not what it's cracked up to be,' he added. 'I'm not complaining, because I've had a great life. But it can wreak havoc on you if you're not protected.' In 2022, Madsen's son Hudson died by suicide in Hawaii. 'I didn't see any signs of depression. It's so tragic and sad. I'm just trying to make sense of everything and understand what happened,' Madsen told the LA Times. With over 320 credits to his name on IMDb, Madsen also had a whopping 18 titles in development at the time of his death. In the statement from his representatives following his death, they said Madsen had been 'doing some incredible work with independent film including upcoming feature films 'Resurrection Road', 'Concessions' and 'Cookbook for Southern Housewives.'' He was, the statement said, 'really looking forward to this next chapter in his life.' 'Cookbook' is a crime drama set in the early '70s in the American South, while 'Concessions' follows the closing of a legendary movie theater and costars Josh Hamilton. According to his IMDb, Madsen was also set to appear in 'Saturday at the Starlight,' a comedy set at a roller rink in the 1990s costarring Abigail Breslin and Denise Richards, and 'Oldfellas,' about aging mobsters at a retirement resort. Madsen was also preparing to release a book called 'Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems.' 'You'll make a great film when you least expect it, or don't really anticipate it ... I don't have a crystal ball or time machine, I can't know what's going to happen,' Madsen told Vulture in 2008. 'I just want longevity.' — CNN
Asharq Al-Awsat
4 days ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Michael Madsen, ‘Reservoir Dogs' and ‘Kill Bill' Star, Dies at 67
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. His sister, Oscar-nominated "Sideways" actor Virginia Madsen, was among those paying him tribute on Thursday. "He was thunder and velvet. Mischief wrapped in tenderness. A poet disguised as an outlaw. A father, a son, a brother—etched in contradiction, tempered by love that left its mark," she said in a statement. "I'll miss our inside jokes, the sudden laughter, the sound of him. I'll miss the boy he was before the legend. I miss my big brother." His "Hateful Eight" co-star and fellow Tarantino favorite Walton Goggins celebrated him on Instagram. "Michael Madsen... this man... this artist... this poet... this rascal..." Goggins wrote. "Aura like no one else. Ain't enough words so I'll just say this.... I love you buddy. A H8TER forever." James Woods, Madsen's co-star in two films, wrote on X, "I was always touched by his sweet nature and generosity, the absolute opposite of the 'tough guys' he portrayed so brilliantly." Madsen was born in Chicago to a family of three children. He performed on stage with the city's Steppenwolf Theatre Company alongside actors including John Malkovich. During a handprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in November 2020, 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. Madsen had six children. He had struggled in recent years after the 2022 death of one of his sons, Hudson. "Losing a child is the hardest and most painful experience that can happen in this world," Madsen said in an Instagram post last year. He said the loss put a strain on his marriage to third wife, DeAnna Madsen. He was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery last year, but was not charged. He filed for divorce, but asked that the filing be dismissed just weeks later. He had previously been arrested twice on suspicion of DUI, most recently in 2019, when he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor. "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."
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Al Arabiya
Michael Madsen, 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'Kill Bill' Star, Dies at 66
Michael Madsen, whose menacing characters in Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill made him a standout in Quentin Tarantino's films, has died. He was 66. 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. Madsen's career spanned more than 300 credits stretching back to the early 1980s, many in low-budget films. But his most memorable screen moment may have been the sadistic torture of a captured police officer – while dancing to Stealers Wheel's 'Stuck in the Middle with You' – as Mr. Blonde in 1992's Reservoir Dogs. He would become a Tarantino regular, appearing in the Kill Bill films and The Hateful Eight. '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. They added that he was 'one of Hollywood's most iconic actors who will be missed by many.'
