Michael Madsen, who was best known for being one of Quentin Tarantino’s go-to tough guys, was found dead inside his Malibu home on Thursday. He was 67. Madsen’s big break came in the early ’90s with ‘Thelma and Louise.’ In 1992, ET visited the set of his first family film, ‘Free Willy.’ During his career, he appeared in nearly 350 projects and four Tarantino movies, including ‘Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood,’ ‘Reservoir Dogs,’ The Hateful Eight’ and the ‘Kill Bill’ franchise.
Michael Madsen, the gravel-voiced Hollywood actor who carved out a niche as a rugged tough guy across more than four decades of film, has died at the age of 67.
Michael Madsen’s Cause Of Death
Authorities confirmed Madsen was found unresponsive early Thursday morning at his Malibu home. Deputies responded to a 911 call, and the actor was pronounced dead at the scene. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the death is believed to have been from natural causes. No foul play is suspected. Madsen’s manager, Ron Smith, confirmed he died from cardiac arrest.
The actor had remained creatively active in recent years, with several projects in the pipeline. In a joint statement, managers Susan Ferris and Ron Smith, along with 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. He was really looking forward to this next chapter in his life.”
“Michael was also preparing to release a new book titled Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems, which is currently being edited.”
Born in Chicago, Madsen began his career in theater before transitioning to film in the early 1980s. Over the decades, he became one of Hollywood’s most recognizable and prolific character actors, with nearly 350 on-screen credits to his name. From drama and action to crime and family films, Madsen brought a raw intensity to every role.
He first gained mainstream attention in 1991’s Thelma & Louise, but it was his role as the sadistic Mr. Blonde in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs (1992) that made him a cult favorite. Although he originally auditioned for another role, Madsen embraced the opportunity to play Mr. Blonde — a decision that became career-defining.
“The Big Show,” he once said when asked to describe working with Tarantino in three words.
That collaboration continued over the years, with Madsen appearing in Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2, The Hateful Eight, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. His ability to balance menace with emotional depth made him a perfect fit for Tarantino’s universe of complex antiheroes.
But Madsen wasn’t just a cinematic villain. In 1993, he played a warm-hearted foster father in Free Willy, showcasing his range and desire to break typecasting.
“I was a little sick of shooting people and beating people up,” he said. “It’s much harder to play a good person. You have to be more focused, more aware.”
He also turned down the role of Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction—a part that later went to John Travolta—due to a scheduling conflict with Wyatt Earp (1994), in which he co-starred with Kevin Costner. While some might have seen that as a missed opportunity, Madsen remained grounded.
“I feel lucky I had those chances. It takes years of putting in the work to make it happen.”
Outside of acting, Madsen was also a poet and writer. His upcoming book, Tears For My Father, reflects a more introspective side of the actor — one filled with personal reflections, poetry, and a voice shaped by decades of hard-won experience in Hollywood.
He is survived by his wife of nearly 30 years, DeAnna, their four sons and one daughter, and two sisters, including Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen.
Despite his reputation as a tough guy on screen, those who knew Madsen speak of a man who was deeply loyal, creatively curious, and passionate about his craft.
“Sometimes there are things in life you wish would happen,” he once reflected. “And sometimes they happen exactly as you dreamed. It was such an enormous pleasure.”