Michael Madsen

American actor (1957–2025)

For other people named Michael Madsen, see Michael Madsen (disambiguation).

Michael Madsen

Madsen at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con

Born|

Michael Søren Madsen

(1957-09-25)September 25, 1957

Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Died| July 3, 2025(2025-07-03) (aged 67)

Malibu, California, U.S.

Other names| Maykl Madsen
Education| Evanston Township High School
Occupation| Actor
Years active| 1982–2025
Spouses|

* Georganne LaPiere

(m. 1984; div. 1988)​

* Jeannine Bisignano

(m. 1991; div. 1995)​

* DeAnna Morgan

(m. 1996)​

Children| 7, including Christian
Mother| Elaine Madsen
Relatives| Virginia Madsen (sister)

Michael Søren Madsen (September 25, 1957 – July 3, 2025) was an American actor. In addition to his frequent collaborations with Quentin Tarantino—Reservoir Dogs (1992), Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004), The Hateful Eight (2015), and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)—he was known for his appearances in films including 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). He played voice roles in various video games like Grand Theft Auto III (2001), Narc (2005), the Dishonored series (2012–2017), and Crime Boss: Rockay City (2023). Madsen had seven children including actor Christian Madsen.

## Early life

[edit]

Madsen was born on September 25, 1957, in Chicago.[1] His mother, Elaine (née Melson), was a filmmaker and author. His father, Calvin Christian Madsen, was a World War II Navy veteran and a firefighter with the Chicago Fire Department.[2] His parents divorced in the 1960s and his mother left the financial world to pursue a career in the arts, encouraged by film critic Roger Ebert. He attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois.[3] His siblings are Cheryl Madsen, an entrepreneur, and Academy Award nominee Virginia Madsen.[4] His paternal grandparents were Danish, while his mother is Irish and Native American.[5]

## Career

[edit]

Madsen as a senior in high school, 1975 |

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2024)

|

Madsen began working at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, where he served as an apprentice under John Malkovich and appeared in a production of Of Mice and Men.[6]

His first notable film role was a small part for the science fiction film, WarGames. He appeared in John Dahl's thriller Kill Me Again as criminal Vince Miller opposite Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley.[7] In Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut film Reservoir Dogs, Madsen played "Mr. Blonde", a cruel criminal. Steve Buscemi received the role of "Mr. Pink", which Madsen wanted because it had more scenes with Harvey Keitel.[6] For Pulp Fiction, Madsen declined the role of Vincent Vega, which went to John Travolta. Madsen starred in the crime film Donnie Brasco. He said of his later choice of film roles: "Some of them I'm only in for 10 minutes, but they bought my name, and they bought my face to put on the DVD box with a gun. What people don't always understand is that I established a certain lifestyle for my family back in the days of Species and Mulholland Falls and The Getaway. I wasn't about to move my six kids into a trailer park... when people offered me work, it wasn't always the best, but I had to buy groceries and I had to put gas in the car."[6]

In 1993, Madsen appeared in Free Willy as Glen Greenwood, the apprehensive but devout foster father of the film's main character played by Jason James Richter. Madsen played assassin Budd, the brother of Bill (David Carradine), in Kill Bill: Volume 2.[8] In 2004, Tarantino discussed an idea for the film to unite Madsen and Travolta, as The Vega Brothers.[9] In 2007, Tarantino said the film (which he intended to call Double V Vega) was "kind of unlikely now", because of the age of the actors and the onscreen deaths of both characters.[10]

Madsen appeared in Uwe Boll's BloodRayne, a film he said is "an abomination... It's a horrifying and preposterous movie."[11] He won Best Actor awards at the Boston Film Festival and New York International Independent Film and Video Festival for his performance in Strength and Honour. He played himself in the mockumentary Being Michael Madsen. Madsen co-starred in Coma, a Web series on Crackle.[12]

Madsen in the 2006 Indianapolis 500 All Star Festival Parade (with his son, right)

He played Jim Ricker, the old friend of Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), in the eighth season of 24.[13] Madsen starred in the comedy film Let the Game Begin. On January 5, 2012, he entered the Celebrity Big Brother house and he finished in 4th place in the competition. In February 2014, he played Las Vegas casino mogul Ted Binion in Josh Evans' film Death in the Desert.[14] The screenplay was written by John Steppling, based on the book Death in the Desert by crime writer Cathy Scott.[15]In August 2014, Madsen starred in the Kill Bill-themed music video for the song "Black Widow" by Iggy Azalea featuring Rita Ora.

Madsen starred in the ensemble western film The Hateful Eight. He was among a number of people rumored to have leaked the film's script before it was released, causing Tarantino to almost not make the film and eventually rewrite it. It was later revealed that Madsen was not responsible for leaking the script.[16] In 2016, he played a dramatized role of former Texas Ranger Phil Ryan in Real Detective on the Investigation Discovery network.[17] He was an executive producer in Vilan Trub's crime drama film The Dirty Kind, which is loosely inspired by Anthony Weiner.[18]

## Personal life

[edit]

Madsen had a daughter named Jessica with Dana Mechling. Jessica was born March 24, 1979. His first wife was Georganne LaPiere, the half-sister of Cher. Madsen and LaPiere met in 1983, married in 1984, and divorced in 1988.[19] He was married to Jeannine Bisignano from 1991 to 1995. They have two sons, Christian and Max, who are both actors.[20] In 1996, Michael Madsen married DeAnna Morgan. The couple married in Ocho Rios, Jamaica while Madsen was on a break from shooting Donnie Brasco.[21] They had three sons, Luke, Kalvin and Hudson. Hudson died by suicide in January 2022.[20]

In February 2022, Michael Madsen was arrested on a misdemeanor trespassing charge.[22] On August 17, 2024, he was arrested on a battery charge after he reportedly assaulted his wife. His bail was set at $20,000.[23] Madsen was released from custody after posting the same bail.[24] He reportedly filed for divorce from Morgan in 2024, after 28 years of marriage. In the filing, Madsen claimed that they had been separated since 2022 after their son Hudson's suicide.[25] In October 2024, he debunked rumors via Instagram that said he was filing for divorce from his wife. He said, "A few recent articles have suggested my disillusionment with my marriage and a dark connection between my wife and the loss of our son. I was not the writer of this story and wish my wife no harm or embarrassment," further adding that he has "no desire for divorce or blame."[26]

Madsen had a line of hot sauces called American Badass.[27]

### Charity work

[edit]

Madsen received an award for his work with the Shriners Hospital for Children in 2002.[28] In September 2009, he announced his participation in the 26th annual Love Ride to help raise money for local charities.[29] Malcolm Forbes, Peter Fonda, Larry Hagman, Billy Idol, Bruce Springsteen, and other celebrities participated. The event was scheduled for October 25, 2009, but was canceled due to poor ticket sales and a decline in sponsorship.[30]

Madsen hosted the event An Intimate Evening with Michael Madsen to benefit children's pediatric cancer for Advocate Children's Hospital and the Tyler Robinson Foundation on November 3, 2016.[31]

## Death

[edit]

Madsen died of cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu, California on July 3, 2025, at the age of 67. He was found unresponsive by emergency responders and pronounced dead at 8:25 a.m. local time (PDT).[32]

## Awards

[edit]

* Lifetime Achievement Award from Red Hen Press in 2006
* 9th Annual Malibu Film Festival honored Madsen in April 2008 for his achievements in the art of acting[33]
* 1999 Firecracker Alternative Book Award for his book of poetry Burning In Paradise[34]
* 2007 Best Actor Boston Film Festival for Strength and Honour
* 2008 Best Actor New York International Independent Film & Video Festival for Strength and Honour
* 2015 Madsen won Ensemble of the Year for The Hateful Eight at the Hollywood Film Awards.

## Film credits

[edit]

Main article: Michael Madsen filmography

Madsen appeared in over 300 film and television productions since 1982.[35] According to the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes and film industry data website The Numbers, his most critically acclaimed and commercially successful films are Kill Me Again (1989), Reservoir Dogs (1992), Donnie Brasco (1997), Die Another Day (2002), Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003), Sin City (2005), Scary Movie 4 (2006), The Garden Left Behind (2019), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), and QT8: The First Eight (2019).[36][37]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Celebrity birthdays for the week of Sept. 19-24". AP News. The Associated Press. September 13, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2023. "Sept. 25...Actor Michael Madsen is 63."
2. ^ Bell, Mark (February 23, 2007). "Method Fest to Present the 2007 Maverick Award to Michael Madsen". FilmThreat.com. Archived from the original on August 9, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
3. ^ Ebert, Roger (December 14, 2012). "Virginia, Michael & Elaine Madsen: From Chicago to their dreams". Rogerebert.com. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
4. ^ Kennedy, Lisa (February 21, 2007). "A strong role, an equal partner". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on April 3, 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
5. ^ Bray, Tony (April 2004). "Virginia Madsen". TV Now. Archived from the original on June 3, 2004. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
6. ^ a b c "Michael Madsen interview: How The Hateful Eight star ducked and dived his way through Hollywood". The Independent. December 30, 2015. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022.
7. ^ "Kill Me Again". Variety. January 1, 1989. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
8. ^ "Michael Madsen: Mr. Blonde's ambition". The Guardian. April 17, 2004.
9. ^ Haddon, Cole (August 7, 2008). "Michael Madsen Talks Hell Ride, Inglorious Bastards, and Sin City 2". Film.com. Archived from the original on October 23, 2008. Retrieved November 18, 2008.
10. ^ Sciretta, Peter (April 7, 2007). "Quentin Tarantino talks Vega Brothers, the Pulp Fiction & Reservoir Dogs sequel/prequel". Slashfilm.
11. ^ "Madsen still scarred by BloodRayne movie". contactmusic.com. August 30, 2008.
12. ^ "Michael Madsen, George Hamilton and Paul Ben-Victor Star in Coma, an Original Web Series Premiering On Crackle.com". August 22, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2009.
13. ^ "24 Season 8 Episode 19 Press Release (10:00AM – 11:00AM)". 24 Spoilers. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
14. ^ "Photographer helped Madsen meet Sinatra". February 24, 2014.
15. ^ Harmon, Jessica (October 11, 2015). "Death in the Desert rolls up new trailer". moviepilot.com.[permanent dead link]
16. ^ "Quentin Tarantino Shelves 'The Hateful Eight' After Betrayal Results In Script Leak". Deadline. January 22, 2014.
17. ^ "Michael Madsen-Real Detective". Starburst Magazine. Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
18. ^ "Indie filmmaker uses disgraced Rep. Weiner's sexcapades for inspiration in new film". New York Daily News. April 28, 2019.
19. ^ Mr Blonde's ambition
20. ^ a b "Michael Madsen's son Hudson has died aged 26". NME. January 25, 2022.
21. ^ "Michael Madsen: Mr Blonde's ambition". TheGuardian.com. April 17, 2004.
22. ^ Wagner, Stephanie (February 24, 2022). "'Reservoir Dogs' Actor Michael Madsen Arrested for Trespassing in Malibu: Reports". People. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
23. ^ VanHoose, Benjamin (August 19, 2024). "Michael Madsen Arrested on Charge of Domestic Battery, Actor's Rep Says There Was 'Disagreement' with Wife". People. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
24. ^ "Michael Madsen: Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill star arrested on domestic violence charge".
25. ^ "Michael Madsen's Family". People. June 3, 2025.
26. ^ "Michael Madsen, actor of 'Kill Bill' and 'Reservoir Dogs' fame, dead at 67". Retrieved July 4, 2025.
27. ^ Frauenfelder, Mark (April 12, 2013). "Michael Madsen talks to Boing Boing about his hot sauce". Boing Boing.
28. ^ Player, The (April 30, 2010). "The Player Bookazine Issue 14". The Player – via Google Books.
29. ^ "LOVERIDE®". Archived from the original on August 28, 2009.
30. ^ "Actor Michael Madsen Talks Chicago Roots, Pediatric Cancer Fundraiser". ABC7Chicago.com. November 2, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
31. ^ "Actor Michael Madsen Talks Chicago Roots, Pediatric Cancer Fundraiser". ABC7Chicago.com. November 2, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
32. ^ Barnes, Mike (July 3, 2025). "Michael Madsen, Reservoir Dogs' Actor, Dies at 67". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
33. ^ "Malibu International Film Festival honors Michael Madsen". Malibu Times. Archived from the original on August 16, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
34. ^ Waldo, Thea (July 16, 2006). Celebrities and Their Culinary Creations: Autographed Photos, Biographies, Trivia, & Recipes. iUniverse. ISBN 978-0-595-39753-2 – via Google Books.
35. ^ Smith, Harrison (July 4, 2025). "Michael Madsen, a memorable tough guy in Tarantino films, dies at 67". The Washington Post. Nash Holdings. Retrieved July 5, 2025. "A prolific actor who appeared in more than 300 movies and television shows [...]"
36. ^ "Michael Madsen". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on May 19, 2025. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
37. ^ "Michael Madsen - Acting Credits". The Numbers. Bruce Nash / Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on May 24, 2025. Retrieved July 5, 2025.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michael Madsen.

Wikiquote has quotations related to Michael Madsen.

* Official website
* Guardian interview with Madsen
* Michael Madsen at IMDb
* Michael Madsen interview, 2002 with Stumped

Authority control databases

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* ISNI
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* FAST
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Artists|

* MusicBrainz
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People|

* Deutsche Biographie
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Other|

* IdRef
* SNAC

*[m.]: married
*[div.]: divorced