It’s his role as the psychotic Mr Blonde that really bought Michael Madsen to the world’s attention and yet with over 300 credits it will always be the role that he’ll always be remembered for.
Born om 25th September 1957 in Chicago he had two siblings one of which was his sister and fellow actress Virginia Madsen. His mother was an author turned film producer whereas his father was a fireman. An unremarkable school life saw him leave to work as a mechanic and paramedic. But his life would change in 1980 when he went along with a friend to see a Chicago stage production ‘Of Mice and men’ that starred John Malkovich. Madsen waited for him after the show where the actor agreed to send him details about acting classes. Madsen followed up on the classes and ironically he ended up with a small role in the same play at the same theatre some years later.
Early roles on TV came up before he landed small roles in acclaimed films War Games, Racing with the moon, Diner and The Natural. With mid 1980’s seeing him also marry actress Georgina LaPiere that lasted for only four years ending in 1988.
A number of forgettable films followed before Oliver Stone cast him in The Doors, Ridley Scott cast him in Thelma & Louise and before his breakout role landed where fledgling writer-director Quentin Tarantino cast him in Reservoir Dogs. He had wanted to play Mr Pink as that character had more scenes with Harvey Keitel but it was Mr Blonde or nothing as far as Tarantino was concerned. Released in 1991 the year saw him marry again this time to actress Jeanine Bisignano.
Despite his high profile he’d be the first to admit that he took roles in a large number of far lesser films, essentially barely B-movies but he worked constantly and the better known films included Free Willy, Wyatt Earp and Species though 1996 would also see him divorced once more.
But 1996 also saw him marry for a third and last time to another actress DeAnna Morgan which would last until his death. But despite good roles in Donnie Brasco and even a Bond film (Die Anther Day) it was always his work in Tarantino films that caught the eye. Appearing in Kill Bill Vol 1 & 2, The Hateful Eight and a small role In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood bringing an air of unpredictability and simmering violence that threatened to break out at any time. He had turned down the role of Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction yet this was amongst an almost endless amount of work that he really should have swerved often banging out several films a year – 2024 saw him with ten screen credits alone and at the time of his death there are seventeen productions awaiting release .
He was aware of his on screen persona and equally aware that his fans often confused it with the real him. Telling a journalist “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 pyjamas, watching ‘The Rifleman’ on TV, hopefully with my 12-year-old making me a cheeseburger.’ And yet despite that August 2024 saw him arrested on a charge of misdemeanor domestic battery involving his wife. Charges were later dropped. Of his seven children one of his sons tragically committed suicide in 2022 aged only 26.
Despite the public persona he wrote a book of poetry that was published and was a keen photographer too with a book due out in 2026.
Responding to a 911 call police found Michael Madsen unresponsive at his Malibu home and was pronounced dead on 3rd July 2025 reportedly from a cardiac arrest. He was 67 years old.
related feature : Michael Madsen stars in ‘Incarnation’ – DVD / DIGITAL DOWNLOAD
related feature : Oscar winning make up genius Howard Berger reveals the Kill Bill secrets and that crazy 88’s scene
