Michael Madsen died on Thursday, July 3. He was 67.
Madsen’s manager Ron Smith confirmed his death to Us Weekly, saying his client died from cardiac arrest.
The actor was found unresponsive at his home in Malibu, California, on Thursday after deputies responded to a 911 call that morning, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department confirmed to Us. Madsen was pronounced dead at the residence at 8:25 a.m. PT.
“The death is believed to have been from natural causes and no foul play is suspected,” the sheriff’s department added.
From filmmakers to artists, Hollywood lost many stars in 2025. News broke on January 4 that Aubrey Plaza’s estranged husband, Jeff Baena, died one day earlier at the age of 47. Per medical examiner records viewed by Us Weekly, Baena died by suicide. “This is an unimaginable tragedy,” Plaza’s rep said in a statement to […]
“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,” Madsen’s managers Smith and Susan Ferris and publicist Liz Rodriguez told Us in a statement on Thursday. “Michael was also preparing to release a new book called Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems, currently being edited.”
The statement concluded: “Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, who will be missed by many.”
Actor Michael Madsen filed for divorce and claimed he was a victim of wife DeAnna Madsen‘s abuse for years. Michael, 66, cited irreconcilable differences after filing the divorce petition on Wednesday, September 18, according to TMZ. The legal paperwork revealed that Michael and DeAnna, 64, legally separated in January 2022 because he thought “her neglect, […]
Madsen was born in Chicago and launched his career in Hollywood in 1982. One of his most iconic roles include playing criminal Mr. Blonde in Quentin Tarantino‘s 1992 hit Reservoir Dogs.
Michael Madsen. Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Sundance Film Festival
Madsen and Tarantino, 62, frequently collaborated during the actor’s four decades in the industry. They worked on Kill Bill: Vol. 1, The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.
Reservoir Dogs actor Michael Madsen was arrested in Malibu on a charge of misdemeanor domestic battery over the weekend. Madsen, 66, was booked at 1:40 a.m. on Saturday, August 17, at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station under California Penal Code section 243(e)(1), which means using force or violence against a cohabitant, multiple news outlets reported […]
The late actor also appeared on Our Family Honor, Vengeance Unlimited, Big Apple and Powers and starred in WarGames, Thelma & Louise, Wyatt Earp and more.
Madsen is survived by sons Calvin and Luke, whom he shares with estranged wife DeAnna Madsen and sons Christian and Max, whom he welcomed with ex-wife Jeannine Bisignano.
Michael and Bisignano were married from 1991 to 1995. He married DeAnna in 1996 and filed for divorce in September 2024. Michael and DeAnna also shared son Hudson, who died by suicide in January 2022 at the age of 26.