Michael Madsen, Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill star, dies at 67
Madsen was found unresponsive in his home in Malibu, California, on Thursday morning (Friday AEST) and pronounced dead, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Watch Commander Christopher Jauregui said. He is believed to have died of natural causes and authorities do not suspect any foul play was involved. Madsen's manager Ron Smith said cardiac arrest was the apparent cause. He was 67.
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The Age
4 hours ago
- The Age
Michael Madsen, Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill star, dies at 67
Los Angeles: Michael Madsen, the actor best known for his coolly menacing, steely-eyed, often sadistic characters in the films of Quentin Tarantino, including Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill: Vol. 2, has died. Madsen was found unresponsive at his home in Malibu, California on Thursday morning (Friday AEST) and pronounced dead, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Watch Commander Christopher Jauregui said. He is believed to have died of natural causes, and authorities do not suspect any foul play was involved. Madsen's manager Ron Smith said cardiac arrest was the apparent cause. He was 67. Madsen's career spanned more than 300 credits, stretching back to the early 1980s, with many of them in low-budget films and independent films. He often played low-level thugs, gangsters and shady cops in small roles. Tarantino would use that identity but make him a main character. His torture of a captured police officer in Tarantino's 1992 directorial debut Reservoir Dogs, in which Madsen's black-suited bank robber Vic 'Mr Blonde' Vega severs the man's ear while dancing to Stealers Wheel's Stuck in the Middle with You, was an early career-defining moment for both director and actor. He would become a Tarantino regular. He had a small role as the cowboy-hatted desert dweller Budd, a member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, in 2003's Kill Bill: Vol. 1, then a starring role the following year in the sequel, in which he battles Uma Thurman's protagonist The Bride and buries her alive. Madsen also appeared in Tarantino's The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. He was an alternate choice to play the hit man role that revived John Travolta's career in 1994's Pulp Fiction. The character, Vincent Vega, is the brother of Madsen's Reservoir Dogs robber in Tarantino's cinematic universe. Madsen was born in Chicago to a family of three children. His sister is Oscar-nominated Sideways actor Virginia Madsen.
Perth Now
a day ago
- Perth Now
Michael Madsen remembered as 'mischief wrapped in tenderness'
Michael Madsen has been remembered as "mischief wrapped in tenderness" by his actress sister Virginia Madsen following his shock death. The 67-year-old actor was pronounced dead on Thursday (03.07.25) after being found unresponsive at his home in Malibu, California with his manager Ron Smith telling that 'cardiac arrest' appeared to be the cause of death - and he has now been honoured by Candyman star Virginia, who paid tribute in a message posted on Instagram. She shared a picture of the siblings alongside their mother and wrote: "My brother Michael has left the stage. He was thunder and velvet. Mischief wrapped in tenderness. A poet disguised as an outlaw. "A father, a son, a brother - etched in contradiction, tempered by love that left its mark. We're not mourning a public figure. We're not mourning a myth - but flesh and blood and ferocious heart. "Who stormed through life loud, brilliant, and half on fire. Who leaves us echoes - gruff, brilliant, unrepeatable - half legend, half lullaby. "I'll miss our inside jokes, the sudden laughter, the sound of him. I'll miss the boy he was before the legend. I miss my big brother." Virginia went on to thank fans for their well wishes and explained a plan to "celebrate" Michael's life will be revealed in due course. She added: "Thank you to everyone reaching out with love and memory. In time, we'll share how we plan to celebrate his life. "But for now - we stay close, and let the silence say what words can't - Virginia Madsen on behalf of the Madsen family." Fellow screen star Sharon Stone shared her sorrow in the comments section, writing: "My sincere condolences to you and your family." Actor Billy Baldwin paid tribute in a message posted on X, writing: "Fitting that Michael Madsen would pass away on 4th of July weekend. He was no firecracker … a total stick of dynamite on screen and in life. Rest easy my friend." Walton Goggins, who appeared opposite Michael in Quentin Tarantino's 2015 movie The Hateful Eight, shared his thoughts on Instagram, writing: "Michael Madsen … this man … this artist … this poet … this rascal …F****** ICON …. "Aura like no one else. Ain't enough words so I'll just say this …. I love you buddy. A H8TER forever." In a post on X, Jennifer Tilly - who starred alongside the actor in 1994 movie The Getaway - wrote: "Michael was one of my favorite actors I ever worked with. "The Getaway was very early in my career and he made me feel safe and supported. He was wildly audacious and rambunctious with his character choices, and had a wicked sense of humor. "I don't recall ever laughing so much on a film set in my life. A huge talent. Gone too soon. Rip Michael Madsen."
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
WA news LIVE: Man, 80, to appear in WA court over child sex abuse
Latest posts Latest posts 9.31am Man, 80, to appear in WA court over child sex abuse To crime news first up and a man who is now 80 years old will appear before the courts today, charged with historical child sex abuse offences from 1990. During an investigation, WA Child Abuse Squad detectives located an alleged offender residing in Granville, New South Wales, and extradited him to WA at the beginning of the year. He appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court on February 13 over the alleged indecent assault of a child in WA. As a result of this ongoing investigation, detectives believe they have identified a further victim. It will be alleged when the man was visiting WA in 1990, he sexually assaulted a girl who was 13 years old at the time of the offence. The man will appear before the Fremantle Magistrates Court today over the new charges – aggravated indecent assault and aggravated sexual assault. 9.30am Across the nation and around the world Here's what's making headlines today: Russian leader Vladimir Putin has told US President Donald Trump he wants to settle the 'root causes' of his conflict with Ukraine without retreating on his goals, taking a hard line on any peace deal after more than three years of war. President Donald Trump's tax-cut package cleared its final hurdle in the US Congress on Thursday, as the Republican-controlled House of Representatives narrowly approved the massive bill and sent it to him to sign into law. Michael Madsen, the actor best known for his coolly menacing, steely-eyed, often sadistic characters in the films of Quentin Tarantino, including Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill: Vol. 2, has died. Football champions and political leaders have led the stunned reaction to the sudden death of Liverpool FC star Diogo Jota in a fiery car crash in northern Spain less than two weeks after he married his long-term partner. 9.30am Today's weather 9.30am Welcome to our live news blog Good morning readers, and welcome to our live news blog for Friday, July 4. And happy Independence Day to any Americans who happen to be following along this morning – although, if you're in the US and reading WAtoday, there's a high chance you took a wrong turn in your search for news from Washington, not Western Australia. On the West Australian front, there's talk of 'thinning' the Causeway bridge that spans the Swan River in Perth's east. How do you 'thin' a bridge? And why are we thinking about shaving off a bit of the Causeway? Both valid questions, and we can give you the hint that it has something to do with the government's planned 'Metronet on Swan'. Hamish Hastie has the full story here. Meanwhile, Tourism WA is gearing up to release another iteration of its Walking on a Dream campaign (you know, the one soundtracked by an airy re-do of that iconic Empire of the Sun tune over idyllic vistas of our great state?) So we wonder which WA agency has won the contract to shoot the ad series.
