Michael Madsen has died. The actor was 67.
Madsen was found unresponsive early Thursday morning (July 3) at his home in Malibu, Calif.
He was later pronounced dead, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Initial reports indicate Madsen suffered a cardiac arrest, according to The Guardian. Madsen’s manager, Ron Smith, confirmed the cause of death in a statement.
Madsen is survived by six children, including actor Christian Madsen, 35, and his sister, Academy Award-nominated actress Virginia Madsen, star of films such as 1992’s Candyman and 1984’s Dune.
Born in Chicago on Sept. 25, 1957, Madsen began his career with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company before making his major film debut in the 1983 thriller WarGames.
Over his decades-long career, he built a reputation for playing tough, enigmatic characters.
He achieved international acclaim and notoriety for his many collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino, including 1992’s Reservoir Dogs as the infamous and sadistic Mr. Blonde, often considered one of the best movie villains of all time.
Madsen also appeared in Tarantino’s films Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Vol. 2, The Hateful Eight (2015), and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).
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Other notable roles include Thelma & Louise (1991), Donnie Brasco (1997), Sin City (2005) and Free Willy (1993).
In addition to his many on screen appearances, Madsen was also a voice actor in video games including the Dishonored series and Grand Theft Auto III, in which he voiced mobster Tony Cipriani.
Prior to his passing, Madsen was gearing up to release an autobiographical book titled Tears for My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems.
Featuring a foreword by Tarantino, the book is expected to be released later this year.
