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Daily Mail
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Reservoir Dogs icon Harvey Keitel breaks silence on Michael Madsen's shock death at 67
Michael Madsen was found dead in his Malibu home on June 3. He was 67 years old. Tributes are pouring in from family, friends and the people Madsen worked with in his long and successful career as one of Hollywood's best actors. Now, Harvey Keitel, 86, is chiming in to share his wishes for his late friend. 'We've lost another great American poet,' Keitel said in a statement to The New York Post. 'Farewell, my dear friend.' Madsen and Keitel starred in Quentin Tarantino 's film Reservoir Dogs as Vic Vega/Mr. Blonde and Larry Dimmick / Mr. White. Keitel continued: 'I'll never forget one of the best scenes I've ever seen on film — of you and Chris Penn fighting in Reservoir Dogs. 'A great love scene. Give Chris a hug for me,' he added. Chris, Sean Penn's younger brother, died in 2006 at the age of 40. He played Eddie Cabot in Reservoir Dogs. Madsen went on to star in three more Tarantino films, The Hateful Eight and Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. The actor played a violent ex-convict who plans to rob a jewelry store with seven other men in Reservoir Dogs. The role Vic Vega even led to him being typecast. 'I guess it's part of the whole bad-boy package,' he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2018. 'But I'd rather have a movie like Reservoir Dogs than not have it. There are a lot of actors that are a lot more recognized or famous than me, who get paid a lot more than me who haven't done even one film that you'd remember.' The legendary actor was found 'unresponsive' at his home in Malibu, California early Thursday morning. His manager said Madsen had died from 'cardiac arrest.' But Madsen's lawyer Perry Wander hinted that the movie star drank himself to death and blamed the actor's two former wives for making him miserable. I just spoke to Michael two days ago,' Wander told Daily Mail, admitting that 'I knew he was not well.' 'Michael was suffering from the effects of alcoholism. He had multiple stints in and out of rehab. He struggled to maintain his sobriety. He was not happy about his life.' Madsen was also facing a crippling legal battle with his estranged wife, which saw the pair fighting over child support and other finances, his lawyer claimed. 'I blame her for putting in the screws over his last years of life,' Wander said, alleging the legal battle, which saw his passport be 'maliciously revoked', impacted his ability to travel and work abroad. It is too soon to tell if Madsen's alleged alcoholism contributed to his sudden death, but studies by the National Institutes of Health have found that heavy drinking can significantly increase the risk of cardiac arrest. The star's battle with addiction appears to span back many years. He was axed from a $100,000 role in the movie Confessions of a Serial Killer in 2019 after he crashed crashing his Land Rover into a pole and was subsequently arrested for DUI. He was later sentenced to four days in jail. In 2012, he was also arrested for DUI after driving erratically but struck a plea deal that involved attending AA meetings in lieu of more severe punishment. However, after Madsen failed to attend his court ordered Alcoholics Anonymous meetings his probation was revoked.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Michael Madsen's dark past full of trauma and the agonizing heartbreak that tortured him until his death
Actor Michael Madsen was best known for his tough-guy roles in films like Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, but his final years were marked by personal turmoil, health struggles, and tragic loss. He died on Thursday at age 67. Madsen was discovered unresponsive in his Malibu, California, home by authorities on Thursday morning. He was pronounced dead at the scene from a suspected cardiac arrest, his manager, Ron Smith, said. The gravel-voiced, Chicago native forged a career in Hollywood playing complex, intense characters who should never be crossed: psychotic thieves, washed-up hitmen, and tortured souls. But off screen, he cut a gentler, more introspective figure - one who wrote poetry and doted on his children, friends say. Sources close to the late star told the Daily Mail that his childhood was marred by abuse at the hands of his father, Calvin Christian Madsen, a World War II Navy veteran who was reportedly left traumatized after he killed a thief with a shotgun during a gas station robbery as a boy. The elder Madsen was never charged, but in the years that followed, haunted by his past, he allegedly subjected his Michael to frequent violent beatings, which often knocked him unconscious and left him living in constant fear, the sources said. Madsen would experience his own fair share of heartache and trauma over the course of his life. His best friend and Reservoir Dogs co-star, Chris Penn, died from a heart attack in 2006. Madsen was a pallbearer at Penn's funeral and was left devastated by his passing. Another of his close friends, Christian Brando, son of the legendary Marlon Brando, was arrested for shooting dead his sister's boyfriend in 1990, and later passed away from pneumonia in 2008, aged 49. But it was the death of his 26-year-old son, Hudson, that would haunt what would prove to be his final chapter of life. Sources close to the late star told the Daily Mail that Maden's childhood was marred by abuse at the hands of his father, Calvin Christian Madsen (left), a World War II Navy veteran Hudson, a US Army sergeant, took his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in January 2022. In the tragic aftermath, Madsen declared war on the US Army, demanding a full investigation into Hudson's death and accusing his son's superiors of 'shaming' him for seeking therapy and other treatment for mental health issues he'd been privately battling. 'I am in shock as my son, whom I just spoke with a few days ago, said he was happy - my last text from him was 'I love you dad,'' Madsen told the LA Times in 2022. 'I didn't see any signs of depression. It's so tragic and sad. I'm just trying to make sense of everything and understand what happened. 'He had typical life challenges that people have with finances, but he wanted a family. He was looking towards his future, so its [sic] mind mind-blowing. I just can't grasp what happened.' Hudson had spent time in Afghanistan and was stationed in Hawaii at the time of his death. Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, with whom Madsen frequently collaborated, was his godfather. In the years after, Madsen's almost three-decade marriage to his wife, fellow actor DeAnna Madsen, 65, deteriorated under the weight of grief and blame. In late 2024, it was announced that Madsen was filing for divorce after 28 years, alleging that DeAnna was 'abusive', and that her drinking, emotional distance, and what he described as neglect and 'toxicity' drove their son to suicide. The filing, as first reported by PEOPLE, revealed that Madsen and DeAnna had split shortly after Hudson's suicide on account of 'irrevocable differences.' Madsen described their relationship as 'abusive, dependent, and toxic,' and also requested a domestic violence restraining order against DeAnna. The filing came weeks after Madsen was arrested on a charge of misdemeanor domestic battery. He was taken into custody in the early hours of August 17, 2024, following a 'family disturbance' report that involved DeAnna. She accused Madsen of pushing her and locking her out of their home. However, Madsen's attorney, Perry Wander, claimed that DeAnna 'broke into' Madsen's home and he 'confronted her and asked her to leave', noting 'it has been an ongoing problem.' 'Michael has shown immense compassion and restraint during this period towards his estranged wife,' said Wander. 'He's definitely not guilty of domestic violence.' In response, DeAnna claimed that Madsen had been 'struggling with his own personal issues.' 'Myself and our children have been supporting him to the best of our ability. We would request privacy at this time,' she said. Then, weeks later, Madsen would walk back his claims in a statement on social media, recanting the sensational allegations he made against DeAnna in the filing and denying he was seeking divorce. 'A few recent articles have suggested my disillusionment with my marriage and a dark connection between my wife and the loss of our son. I was…not the writer of this story and wish my wife no harm or embarrassment,' began Madsen. 'Losing a child is the hardest and most painful experience that can happen in this world. I deeply apologize for not correcting this earlier, but I love my wife and our other 4 children and have no desire for divorce or blame.' He continued: 'She had absolutely nothing to do with what happened to our son. It was a horrible loss and choice that was made for reasons that truly cannot ever be known, because the person is gone, I don't think my son is dead, I think he escaped from a life that didn't make sense anymore. 'The media can spread lies and conflict, and rarely will mention the truth or the way I've stated the things addressed in this Post.' Madsen retracted his restraining order petition against DeAnna in October but proceeded with the divorce. The couple shares two sons, Calvin, 28, and Luke, 19, while the actor is father to sons Christian, 34, and Max, 31, from a previous relationship with Jeannine Bisignano. Madsen had several prior arrests to his name and a well-documented struggle with alcohol abuse. He was previously arrested for trespassing one month after his son's death at a home in Malibu that he was renting. The property's owner reportedly detained Madsen in a citizen's arrest until police arrived, the LA County Sheriff's Office said. Details of the incident weren't released, but Madsen was given a $500 misdemeanor citation. Madsen also served a four-day jail stint and received five years' probation in 2019 after he crashed his Land Rover into a pole while driving drunk. Nobody was injured in the crash. It was his second DUI arrest in seven years. He was previously arrested in 2012 after driving while three times over the legal limit in LA, which landed him a 30-day court-ordered stay at a rehab facility. Earlier that year, he'd also been arrested on suspicion of child cruelty after allegedly getting into a drunken fight with his teenage son after her reportedly caught him smoking marijuana. The son was not named, and authorities ultimately declined to prosecute the case, citing insufficient evidence. Sources close to Madsen told the Daily Mail that he was sober at the time of his death, but was suffering from various health issues after years of addiction to alcohol, drugs, and painkillers. His attorney Perry Wander, who has represented the star for 20 years, said the icon had 'many struggles' in an interview with the Daily Mail. 'I just spoke to Michael two days ago,' said Wander. 'I knew he was not well.' 'Michael was suffering from the effects of alcoholism. He had multiple stints in and out of rehab. He struggled to maintain his sobriety. He was not happy about his life.' Wander claimed Madsen's health woes were exacerbated by his protracted legal battle with DeAnna, which saw the pair fighting over child support and other finances. 'I blame her for putting in the screws over his last years of life,' Wander said, alleging the legal battle, which saw his passport be 'maliciously revoked', impacted his ability to travel and work abroad. 'Michael lived a life of regrets - those regrets being his two marriages,' he added. Other sources said Madsen was apparently in a good frame of mind and voiced excitement about some of his upcoming projects before his shock passing. He was proud to still be a working actor, said one source. Madsen is best known for his roles in the Quentin Tarantino films Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. He was originally lined up to play John Travolta's role in Tarantino's cult-classic Pulp Fiction, though he dropped out to star in Kevin Costner's Wyatt Earp instead - a decision he said he later came to profoundly regret. Madsen's other notable works include appearances in Donnie Brasco, Thelma & Louise, and Die Another Day. At the time of his death, he was working on a memoir, Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems, which is due to be released next year. Madsen was also attached to numerous other unreleased projects, his managers, Susan Ferris and Ron Smith, and publicist Liz Rodriguez said in a statement. '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,' read the statement. 'Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood's most iconic actors, who will be missed by many.' His sister, Virginia Madsen, also penned a lengthy tribute, paying homage to a man she described as 'half legend, half lullaby.' '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. 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.'
CBS News
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Popular Dallas music figure Chris Penn dies at age 54 following tragic fall
Chris Penn, co-founder of Good Records and a revered Dallas music figure, died Wednesday at age 54, five weeks after a fall left him paralyzed. Penn's wife, Jenn, announced his passing on social media, highlighting his enduring spirit and the lasting impression he left behind. Chris Penn Good Records He co-founded Good Records, a Dallas record shop, in 2000 with frontman Tim DeLaughter and Julie Doyle, the singer's wife. Accident led to untimely passing On March 17, he fell while taking down a decal from the window of his record shop. "His injuries were just too great for his ravaged body to continue," Jenn Penn said. "These are the hardest words I have ever had to write, to witness and process." Mourning loss of beloved music icon Jenn Penn said Dallas lost a treasure; she lost her partner of 21 years, his kids lost their father, and his brother lost his hero. "Chris was an incredible force of nature, and his heart always seemed to have room for more connection... more love... more friendships," she said. "That is who Chris was. That will be his legacy for our kids." Spirit shines through during ICU stay She said he befriended everyone during his 36 days in the ICU, influencing an ICU doctor to play guitar and serenade them "during some difficult nights." "The entire ICU floor at Baylor shared in our grief," she said. Imagining a heaven with his favorite things She said she imagined a heaven for him filled with Mexican food, pinball machines, and classic movies. "If there is a heaven, and I hope there is one more than ever, I'm sure his arrival is causing a stir," she said.
