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Hollywood actor Michael Madsen, widely known for his frequent collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino, has passed away at the age of 67. The actor was found unresponsive at his Los Angeles home in the early hours on Thursday, July 3, 2025.
According to Madsen's EMR Media Entertainment representative, Liz Rodriguez, Michael Madsen suffered a "cardiac arrest." Deputies found him unresponsive at his Malibu home following a 911 call. He was pronounced dead at 8:25 am, per the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. No foul play is reportedly suspected.
In an official statement, Madsen's managers and publicist, Liz Rodriguez, said:
"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. Michael was also preparing to release a new book called Tears for My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems, currently being edited. Madsen was one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, who will be missed by many."
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Michael Madsen was in several Tarantino films such as Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2, The Hateful Eight, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Madsen played Mr Blonde in Tarantino's 1994 feature film debut, Reservoir Dogs. Originally named Victor "Vic" Vega, Blonde is one of the psychopathic antagonists of the film and the right-hand man of mafia head, Joe Cabot.
When Michael Madsen revealed how he was cast as Mr Blonde in Reservoir Dogs
In a 2016 interview with The Independent, Michael Madsen revealed how he ended up playing the iconic Mr Blonde in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. The actor said that he originally wanted to portray the character of Mr Pink, which was eventually played by Steve Buscemi in the film.
"I wanted to play Mr Pink. Because he had more scenes with Harvey Keitel. I had never met Quentin before. I walked in the room at the 20th Century Fox lot and he was standing there with his arms folded, Harvey sitting on the couch in bare feet," Madsen recalled.
Madsen also revealed that his agents discouraged him from doing the film altogether, but he was adamant on playing Mr Pink. Quentin Tarantino allowed him to audition for the part as well.
"I made my case for playing Mr Pink, and Quentin said: 'OK, show me what you got.' For one of the only times in my life I'd rehearsed the dialogue, so I did a couple of Mr Pink scenes. When I was done, Quentin looked at me and went: 'Is that it? OK, good. You're not Mr Pink. You're Mr Blonde – and if you're not Mr Blonde, then you're not in the movie.'," Madsen said.
Michael Madsen eventually portrayed Mr Blonde, which became an iconic character in 90s cinema and the breakthrough role for him. The actor also spoke about auditioning for another one of Tarantino's roles, Joe Gage from The Hateful Eight. He said:
"I hadn't heard from Quentin in over a year. But he called and asked me to go to his house, so I went over and he got out a script and asked me to read a few pages. I'd only read about five lines when he clapped his hands and said: 'OK, Mike. That's great. I'll see you on set in December.'"
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Michael Madsen was also offered the role of Vincent Vega in Quentin Tarantino's most iconic film to date, Pulp Fiction (1994). He declined the role as he had already signed to play Virgil Earp in Lawrence Kasdan’s Wyatt Earp, with John Travolta eventually stepping into the character's shoes.
His next collaboration with Tarantino came in 2003 and 2004, when he starred as the assassin Budd in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and 2. He also appeared in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Michael Madsen considered Quentin Tarantino the "best director" of his generation. He said:
“Quentin is, in my estimation, the best director of my generation. He’s up there with George Stevens and Alfred Hitchcock, Elia Kazan,. Because of that, because of my relationship with him, it became bigger than anything I ever did. And then Kill Bill put the final stamp on that one. It’s a great blessing to have that and at the same time, it is really hard to get out of it. And people don’t want you to get out of it."
Madsen's performance in Reservoir Dogs is considered his breakthrough role in Hollywood. He received both critical acclaim and commercial success for his work in the film, which eventually led to a successful partnership with Tarantino. One iconic scene in the film features Mr Blonde cutting off a policeman's ear while dancing to Stuck in the Middle With You, in a classic Tarantino-esque setting featuring graphic violence.
According to IMDb, Michael Madsen has 346 acting credits. Apart from being a regular face in Tarantino's films, the actor has also appeared in Thelma & Louise (1991), Free Willy (1993), Mulholland Falls (1996), Sin City (2005), and Scary Movie 4 (2006).
