Michael Madsen, the gruff actor with a sardonic edge, perhaps best known for frequent collaborations with Quentin Tarantino, has died. He was 67.
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Madsen was found unresponsive at his Malibu home on Thursday and pronounced dead at 8:25 a.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, per The Hollywood Reporter.
“We understand Michael had a cardiac arrest,” the actor’s rep, Liz Rodriguez, told the outlet.
Madsen was a prolific actor who had a career stretching back to the 1980s, with 346 acting credits, per IMDb.
Madsen’s impressive film career spans roles in movies such as WarGames (1983), The Natural (1984), The Doors (1991), Thelma & Louise (1991), Species (1995), Donnie Brasco (1997), Die Another Day (2002), Sin City (2005) and Scary Movie 4 (2006).
Michael Madsen’s Career Included Turns as Dangerous Killers and Lovable, Soft Spoken Dads
However, two contrasting early ’90s roles cemented his status as an icon for two generations (and generations to come).
In 1991’s Reservoir Dogs (Tarantino’s debut feature film), Madsen famously played the psychotic criminal Vic Vega (a.k.a. Mr. Blonde). Not only does his “kill crazy rampage’ during a bank robbery cause an organized heist to go off the rails, but he also kidnaps and tortures a pursuing police officer.
In perhaps one of the most memorable moments in all of crime cinema, Vega slices off the ear of the officer with a straight razor while dancing to “Stuck in the Middle With You” by Stealers Wheel.
Madsen quickly became one of Tarantino’s favorite collaborators. Interestingly, the role of Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction—eventually made iconic by John Travolta—was originally written for Madsen (the character is Vic Vega/Mr. Blonde’s brother). However, prior commitments to Kevin Costner’s Wyatt Earp prevented him from taking on the part.
Madsen later appeared in Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), The Hateful Eight (2015), and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).
Meanwhile, Madsen showcased a more tender side in 1993’s Free Willy. He played Glen, the foster father of a boy who befriends a captive orca, and helps set the animal back to sea.
In the role, Madsen has an edge but seems sensitive and soft-spoken, a wild contrast to his turn as Mr. Blonde just two years earlier.
Madsen’s Prolific Work on the Small Screen
Madsen also made notable television appearances, including a recurring role on 24 in 2010. He guest-starred on CSI: Miami (2010), Blue Bloods (2012), and American Dream (2015), among several other shows.
He also headlined his own short-lived show, Vengeance Unlimited, in 1998.
Madsen was the brother of actress Virginia Madsen, married three times, and had seven children, one of whom passed away before him.