Michael Madsen, Star of Reservoir Dogs & Kill Bill, Dies at 67

Michael Madsen, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in Quentin Tarantino classics like Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, has passed away at 67 due to cardiac arrest.

According to his manager Ron Smith, Madsen was discovered deceased at his Malibu residence on Thursday morning, as reported by NBC.

"Over the past two years, Michael Madsen had been actively involved in remarkable independent film projects, including upcoming features such as Resurrection Road, Concessions, and Cookbook for Southern Housewives. He was genuinely excited about this new phase of his career," stated managers Susan Ferris and Ron Smith, along with publicist Liz Rodriguez, in a joint announcement.

"Michael was also in the process of finalizing a new book titled Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems, which is currently being edited. As one of Hollywood's most iconic actors, Michael Madsen will be deeply missed by countless fans and colleagues."

Madsen is best recognized for his work with renowned director Quentin Tarantino, first portraying the disturbed Mr. Blonde in 1992's Reservoir Dogs (Tarantino's debut film), and later as assassin Budd, brother of Bill (David Carradine), in the Kill Bill series. He also appeared in Tarantino's 2015 western The Hateful Eight and his most recent collaboration, 2019's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

While these films are widely regarded as cinematic achievements, Madsen also participated in less critically acclaimed projects, including 1995's Species and Uwe Boll's heavily criticized BloodRayne, which he later described as "an abomination."

Born in Chicago, Madsen's breakthrough Hollywood role came in 1983's WarGames. Throughout his four-decade career, he appeared in numerous notable films such as 1991's Thelma & Louise, the family favorite Free Willy, 1997's Donnie Brasco, the 2002 James Bond installment Die Another Day, Sin City, and Scary Movie 4.

Madsen also lent his distinctive voice to various video game characters, including Toni Cipriani in Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 3, William Carver in Telltale's The Walking Dead, and Daud in Arkane's Dishonored series. In 2023, he appeared in the cooperative first-person shooter Crime Boss: Rockay City.