Michael Madsen, Quentin Tarantino Mainstay Known for ‘Kill Bill’ and ‘Reservoir Dogs,’ Dies at 67

Tough guy character actor and frequent Quentin Tarantino collaborator Michael Madsen died Thursday at age 67, TheWrap has learned.

Deputies responded to his Malibu home on Thursday morning. He was pronounced dead at his home. His death is believed to have been from natural causes.

Madsen appeared in Tarantino’s first film “Reservoir Dogs” as the sadistic Mr. Blonde. He would go on to star in Tarantino’s “Kill Bill: Volume 1,” “Kill Bill: Volume 2” and “The Hateful Eight” and most recently appeared in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” having a single, memorable scene that is endlessly quotable.

Early in his career, he appeared in movies like “WarGames” and “The Natural,” and really hit his peak in the 1990s, starring in Oliver Stone’s “The Doors,” Ridley Scott’s “Thelma & Louise,” Lawrence Kasdan’s “Wyatt Earp,” Roger Donaldson’s “Species” (and its sequel) and Mike Newell’s “Donnie Brasco.”

“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. 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,” said managers Susan Ferris and Ron Smith (Bohemia Entertainment) and publicist Liz Rodriguez (EMR Media) in a joint statement to TheWrap.

More recently, Madsen had been dealing with several personal issues. In 2022 his son Hudson died by suicide and in 2024 the actor was arrested on a battery charge after reportedly assaulting his wife, DeAnna Morgan, who he married in 1996. Madsen debunked rumors that he was getting a divorce.

While the flashier roles dried up in recent years, Madsen was constantly working, appearing in television films, direct-to-video movies and everything in between. He had a penchant for playing hard-nosed bad-asses with an ax to grind (aided by his gravelly voice), but there was also a softness to him, a vulnerability that he showcased in things like his poetry projects. And there was a reason that Tarantino was frequently drawn to him – he was like the tough guy actors from the 1970s that the filmmaker admired so much. He will be missed.