Michael Madsen, who starred in Quentin Tarantino motion pictures Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, has died aged 67 from cardiac arrest.
NBC reported that Madsen was discovered lifeless at his Malibu residence on Thursday morning, in accordance with his supervisor Ron Smith.
“Within the final two years Michael Madsen has been doing a little unbelievable work with unbiased movie together with upcoming characteristic movies Resurrection Street, Concessions and Cookbook for Southern Housewives, and was actually wanting ahead to this subsequent chapter in his life,” managers Susan Ferris and Ron Smith, and publicist Liz Rodriguez mentioned in an announcement.
“Michael was additionally getting ready to launch a brand new ebook referred to as Tears For My Father: Outlaw Ideas and Poems, at the moment being edited. Michael Madsen was certainly one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, who can be missed by many.”
Madsen is finest identified for his collaborations with celebrated director Quentin Tarantino, first because the demented Mr. Blonde in 1992’s Reservoir Dogs (Tarantino’s directorial debut), then murderer Budd, the brother of Bill (David Carradine), within the Kill Bill movies. He would later star in Tarantino’s 2015 western The Hateful Eight and, most lately, 2019’s As soon as Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Relaxation in peace to Michael Madsen.
I would argue his work on this one scene from Reservoir Dogs birthed Tarantino’s entire profession. One of many greats. pic.twitter.com/5mYdhSRI9A— Todd Spence (@Todd_Spence) July 3, 2025
Michael Madsen’s artistic partnership w/ Quentin Tarantino was a as soon as in a lifetime spark. His work in KILL BILL is phenomenal, layering that down-on-his-luck lout with pathos & sympathetic sadsack grit, constructing him out into a posh, dimensional character. #RIPMichaelMadsen pic.twitter.com/HU4qCYqVVV
— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) July 3, 2025
Whereas these motion pictures are thought of masterpieces, Madsen additionally starred in much less well-received movies, reminiscent of 1995’s Species and Uwe Boll’s universally panned BloodRayne, which he later called “an abomination.”
Born in Chicago, Madsen’s first notable Hollywood function was in 1983’s WarGames. Different movies he starred in over the past 40 years embrace 1991’s Thelma & Louise, household film Free Willy, 1997’s Donnie Brasco, 2002 Bond movie Die One other Day, Sin Metropolis, and Scary Film 4.
We’re very unhappy to listen to of the passing of Michael Madsen, who performed NSA Chief Damian Falco in DIE ANOTHER DAY. Our ideas are together with his household and mates. pic.twitter.com/qbC37VUOmx
— James Bond (@007) July 3, 2025
Michael Madsen was a singular actor. Couldn’t take your eyes off of him. RIP. pic.twitter.com/jFczhk9GYq
— Elias Toufexis (@EliasToufexis) July 3, 2025
He additionally had various voice roles in video video games, together with Toni Cipriani in Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto 3, William Carver in Telltale’s The Strolling Useless, and Daud in Arkane’s Dishonored sequence. In 2023, Madsen starred in co-op first-person shooter Crime Boss: Rockay Metropolis.
Photograph by Paul Archuleta/WireImage.
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You possibly can attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.