Actor Michael Madsen has died unexpectedly at the age of 67, as confirmed by one of his managers, Ron Smith, on Thursday, July 3.
He was discovered unresponsive at his home
The actor who is known for his star roles in Quentin Tarantino movies was found unresponsive in his Malibu, California home on Thursday.
RELATED STORIES
Among his credits in the director’s work are Reservoir Dogs (1992), Kill Bill Vol 1 & 2 (2003, 2004), The Hateful Eight (2015) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).
He was pronounced dead at the scene
Authorities found him unresponsive after responding to a 911 call at his home.
A representative for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told the New York Post that Madsen was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:25 a.m., adding that no foul play is suspected.
Madsen’s reps released a statement
The actor’s representatives released a statement after his unexpected passing.
They 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.”
They shared he had been preparing to release a book
Madsen’s representatives went on, “Michael was also preparing to release a new book called Tears for My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems, currently being edited.”
“Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, who will be missed by many.”
Madsen started his career in the early ‘80s
Michael Madsen was born in Chicago on September 25, 1957 and started his career in acting in 1983 with the sci-fi techno thriller WarGames (1983).
He went on to become the star of a lot of Quentin Tarantino movies, with 346 acting credits and counting on IMDb.
Among his big-screen credits are The Natural (1984), The Doors (1991), Free Willy (1993), Species (1995), Mulholland Falls (1996), Donnie Brasco (1997), Die Another Day (2002), Sin City (2005) and Scary Movie 4 (2006).
He felt ‘fame is a two-edged sword’
In a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Madsen said he felt that “fame is a two-edged sword.”
“There are a lot of blessings but also a lot of heavy things that come with it. I think it has a lot to do with the characters I’ve played.”
“I think I’ve been more believable than I should have been. I think people really fear me. They see me and go: ‘Holy shit, there’s that guy!’,” he added.
Madsen was humble about his achievements
“But I’m not that guy. I’m just an actor. I’m a father, I’ve got seven children. I’m married, I’ve been married 20 years. When I’m not making a movie, I’m home, in pajamas, watching The Rifleman on TV, hopefully with my 12-year-old making me a cheeseburger,” Madsen said.
“I sure as hell had my rabble-rousing days, but sooner or later you have to get over that and move on.”
