Michael Madsen
Michael Madsen (Michael Søren Madsen, September 25, 1957 – July 3, 2025) was an American actor, poet, and photographer, born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Elaine, a filmmaker and author, and Calvin, a firefighter. He began his career at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, where he served as an apprentice under John Malkovich and appeared in a production of Of Mice and Men. His screen debut came in Against All Hope (1982), followed by a small role in WarGames (1983). His breakout performance was as the psychopathic Mr. Blonde in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992), which launched him into a long association with Tarantino — he appeared in five of his films, including Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004), The Hateful Eight (2015), and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). He also worked as a voice actor in video games including Grand Theft Auto III and DRIV3R. He was found unresponsive in his Malibu, California home on July 3, 2025, and died of cardiac arrest at age 67. His notable film credits include WarGames (1983) (Matthew Broderick, Daryl Hannah), Thelma & Louise (1991) (Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis), Reservoir Dogs (1992) (Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth), Free Willy (1993) (Jason James Richter, Leelee Sobieski), The Getaway (1994) (Harrison Ford, Rene Russo), Species (1995) (Sandra Bullock, Al Pacino), Donnie Brasco (1997) (Al Pacino, Johnny Depp), Die Another Day (2002) (Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) (Uma Thurman, David Carradine), Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) (Uma Thurman, David Carradine), Sin City (2005) (Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba), The Hateful Eight (2015) (Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell), and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) (Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt).
Photos
Movies (307)
Concessions
2026 · Rex Fuel
La Leyenda Del Dragon Blanco
2026 · Max Reed
Blood Behind Us
2026 · Reed Philibosian
Mr. Wonderful
2026 · Brian Fenton
Demon Hunters
2026
Queen of Manhattan
2025 · District Attorney
The Things We Carry
2025
Sinatra! Eternity
2025 · Robert (Bob) Nelson
Resurrection Road
2025 · Quantrill
DinoGator
2024 · Layton
Prepare to Die
2024 · Sheriff Hansen
Dark Feathers: Dance of the Geisha
2024 · Kensei
Max Dagan
2024 · Don Clancy
Arena Wars
2024 · Samson
Final Wager
2024 · Ian
Chuck Zito: An American Story
2024 · Self
South of Hope Street
2024 · Benjamin
Spirit Riser
2024 · Narrator (voice)
Monster Mash
2024 · Doctor Frankenstein
Once Upon a Time in Hollyweird
2024 · Self
Baba Yaga: Assassins Revenge
2024 · Logan Bergman
Grace
2023 · Man (Voice)
Outlaw Johnny Black
2023 · Dutch
Infierno abandonado
2023 · Officer Hansen
Buckle Up
2023
Necronomicon
2023
Assault on Hill 400
2023 · General Cota
Waking Karma
2023 · Paul
The Wraith Within
2022 · Sheriff Townsend
American Badass: A Michael Madsen Retrospective
2022 · Self, Producer, Writer
Death Count
2022 · Detective Casey
Incarnation
2022 · Peter
Until We Meet Again
2022 · Detective Morrison
Damon's Revenge
2022 · Damon
Run Raven Run
2021 · Narrator (voice)
Christmas Thieves
2021 · Vince
Hasta El Fin (Every Last One of Them)
2021 · Bill, Executive Producer
American Night
2021 · Lord Samuel Morgan
Ten Million Throwaways
2021 · Narrator
Burial Ground Massacre
2021 · Damon
Red Prophecies
2021 · Richard Tyler
Playing with Stars
2021
Quentin Tarantino: From a Movie Buff to a Hollywood Legend
2021 · Self (archive footage)
Red Handed
2020 · Lou
Nishabdham
2020 · Richard Dawkins
Dirty Fears
2020 · Michael
The Garden Left Behind
2020 · Kevin
Unbelievable!!!!!
2020 · President Ben Dover
Pesadilla en lo profundo (Shark Season)
2020 · James
Puppy Love
2020 · Wesley
Serpent in the Bottle
2020 · Joe
Conjuring: The Book of the Dead
2020 · Jefferson
Ángeles Caídos
2020 · Balthazar
2 Graves in the Desert
2020 · Vince
Justicia del Ártico: Escuadrón del trueno
2019 · Duke (voice)
QT8: The First Eight
2019 · Self
Primitiva
2019 · Narrator (voice)
Había una vez en Hollywood
2019 · 'Bounty Law' - Sheriff Hackett
Rock, Paper, Scissors
2019 · Doyle Dechert
The Dirty Kind
2019 · Executive Producer
Born2Race
2019 · Bobby Unser
Welcome to Acapulco
2019 · Hyde
Nacido para ganar
2019 · Linsky
Hangover in Death Valley
2018 · Ted (archive footage)
Dead On Time
2018 · Mike McGuirk
Assassins Revenge
2018 · Detective Frank McMillian
Megalodon
2018 · Admiral King
A Night in Jail
2018 · Captain
Spatss!
2018 · Gang Leader
Q-4: Dream Corporation
2018
Dirty Dealing
2018 · Dean
Papa
2018 · Ivan
Love Addict
2018 · Mr. Dickinson
Garlic and Gunpowder
2018 · Jason
Grindhouse Nightmares
2018
The Journey Ahead
2018 · Max
The Broken Key
2017 · Tully DeMarco
Unfallen
2017 · General McCallister
The Wrong Neighbor
2017 · Coach Jaworski
Devil's Domain
2017 · Bill
Gasoline
2017 · Макс, баща на Дим
Along for the Ride
2016 · Self
La venganza de los vigilantes
2016 · Moreau
Talons
2016 · George Fitzgerald
Dennis Hopper: Uneasy Rider
2016 · Self
Last Man Club
2016 · Stearman Pilot
Back in the Day
2016 · Enzo
Magi
2016 · Lawrence Irlam
Secuestrados en Rumania
2016 · Mihai
Los 8 Más Odiados
2015 · Joe Gage
Flipped
2015 · Casey
El Leñador
2015 · Dr. Peter Shirtcliff
Sacred Blood
2015 · Detective Brennan
Death in the Desert
2015 · Ray Easler, Executive Producer
The Lost Tree
2015 · John
Lady Psycho Killer
2015 · Doctor Douglass
Bikini Inception
2015 · Himself
No Deposit
2015 · Peter Shay
Tráfico humano
2015 · The Boss
Diamond Cartel
2015 · Mike
Hope Lost
2015 · Manol
Beyond the Game
2014 · Robert
Bra Wars – Hollywood’s Affair With The Bra
2014 · Self
Non escludo il ritorno
2014 · Paul Hummel
Water Wars
2014 · Bane
2047: Sights of Death
2014 · Lobo
The Ninth Cloud
2014 · Bob
Express 'Moscow-Russia'
2014 · продюсер Милы
Turn Around Jake
2014 · Russell O'Malley
Me enamoré de una chica cristiana
2013 · Frank Harris
Terrible Angels
2013 · Ben Nolan
Lionhead
2013 · Walter Powell
A Sierra Nevada Gunfight
2013 · Sheriff Sawyer
Ashley
2013 · Bill
Nomad the Beginning
2013 · Wolf
Gabrielle
2013 · Edward Sheehan
ICE Agent
2013 · Carlos Garcia
Infected
2013 · Louis Hartley
Along the Roadside
2013 · Jerry
Madoff: Made Off with America
2013 · Agent Kennedy
Garbage
2013 · Michael
Alien Battlefield
2013
Prince of the City
2012 · Ben Carlton
Magic Boys
2012 · Terence
Beyond the Trophy
2012 · Cole Lambert
Ace of Spades: Bad Destiny
2012 · Sef
Cole Younger & The Black Train
2012 · Marshall Stallings
Piranhaconda
2012 · Prof. Lovegrove
Sins
2012 · Don Mancino
Loosies
2012 · Lt. 'Sully' Sullivan
Eldorado
2012 · Ted
Dirty Little Trick
2011 · Vito
Not Another Not Another Movie
2011 · Lester Storm
Amsterdam Heavy
2011 · Keele
El León de Judah
2011 · Boss (voice)
The Forest
2011 · Lt. Brandon Ross
Kill Bill: Todo el sangriento asunto
2011 · Budd (Sidewinder)
The 5th Execution
2011 · Rik
A Cold Day in Hell
2011 · U.S. Marshal Stallings
The Brazen Bull
2010 · Producer
Federal
2010 · Sam Gibson
Terror Trap
2010 · Hotel Operator
Trader Games
2010 · William
Six Days in Paradise
2010 · Rich McShane
Let the Game Begin
2010 · Dr. Turner
The Big I Am
2010 · Martell
The Killing Jar
2010 · Doe
The Portal
2010 · Dr. Azirra
Corruption.Gov
2010 · Senator John Mordire
Road of No Return
2009 · J. Marcone, Associate Producer
The Tomb
2009 · George
The Bleeding
2009 · Father Roy
Creepshow Raw: Insomnia
2009 · Barry
Gloves of Stone
2009 · Willie
Serbian Scars
2009 · Dreq
Lost in the Woods
2009 · Stuart Bunka
Linterna Verde: Primer Vuelo
2009 · Kilowog (voice)
The Face is Familiar
2009 · Himself
The Way
2009 · Commander
Break
2009 · The Associate
Amazing Racer
2009 · Dave Blair
Hired Gun
2009 · Dan Moeller
You Might As Well Live
2009 · Clinton Manitoba
Deep Winter
2009 · Dean
Clear Lake, WI
2009 · The Reverend
Outrage: Born in Terror
2009 · Farragut
Christmas Crash
2009 · Joseph Johnson
Escapándole a la muerte
2008 · Tin Man/Officer Lawdale
Hell Ride
2008 · The Gent
45 R.P.M.
2008 · Major Baxter
No Bad Days
2008 · Lester
The Long Shadow of Dirty Harry
2008 · Self
A Moral Right: The Politics of Dirty Harry
2008 · Self
The Business End: Violence in Cinema
2008 · Self
The Evolution of Clint Eastwood
2008 · Self
The Craft of Dirty Harry
2008 · Self
Crash and Burn
2008 · Vincent Scaillo
Vice
2008 · Max Walker, Executive Producer
Last Hour
2008 · Monk
Eyes Front
2008
Killer's Freedom
2008 · Leo Ibiza
Strength and Honour
2007 · Sean Kelleher
Cosmic Radio
2007 · Senator Atwood
Tooth and Nail
2007 · Jackal - Rover
Being Michael Madsen
2007 · Self, Producer
Croc
2007 · Croc Hawkins
Boarding Gate
2007 · Miles Rennberg
L.A. Dicks
2007 · Steven Miller
Viviendo y muriendo
2007 · Agent Lind
Machine
2007 · Ray
Afghan Knights
2007 · Cooper
UKM: The Ultimate Killing Machine
2006 · Major Blevins
Canes
2006 · Guillermo List
The Maltese Falcon: One Magnificent Bird
2006 · Self
Prohibition Opens the Floodgates
2006 · Self
Morality and the Code: A How-to Manual for Hollywood
2006 · Self
Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light
2006 · Self
Molls and Dolls: The Women of Gangster Films
2006 · Self
The Last Drop
2006 · J.T. Colt
Scary Movie 4: Descuartizados de miedo
2006 · Oliver
All In
2006 · Seal
BloodRayne Venganza de sangre
2006 · Vladimir
Hoboken Hollow
2006 · J.T. Goldman
Southern Comfort
2006
Las crónicas de Narnia: El león, la bruja y el ropero
2005 · Maugrim (voice)
Gangland: Bullets over Hollywood
2005
Law of Corruption
2005 · American
The Distance: Boxing from the Inside Out
2005
Chasing Ghosts
2005 · Kevin Harrison
Sin City: La Ciudad del Pecado
2005 · Bob
Jacked$
2005 · Boss
Frankenstein
2004 · Detec. Harker
The Making of 'Kill Bill Vol. 2'
2004 · Self
Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade
2004 · Self
Kill Bill: Vol. 2
2004 · Budd 'Sidewinder'
Blueberry
2004 · Wallace Sebastian Blount
Vampires Anonymous
2003 · Geno
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
2003 · Budd
La Hija de Mi Jefe
2003 · T.J.
44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out
2003 · Frank McGregor
Pauly Shore Is Dead
2003 · Michael Madsen
Thelma & Louise: The Last Journey
2003 · Self
The Real Deal
2002 · Baker Jacks
007: Otro día para morir
2002 · Falco
The Thief & the Stripper
2002 · Jimmie D.
Primal Instinct
2002 · Russ
Welcome to America
2002 · Special Agent Leon Fogel
42K
2001 · Narrator
L.A.P.D.: To Protect And To Serve
2001 · James Alexander
Choke
2001 · Will
Pressure Point
2001 · Jed Griffin
Extreme Honor
2001 · Sparks
Fall
2001 · Jeremy Banes
The Ghost
2001 · Dan Olinghouse
Outlaw
2001 · Conner
The Price of Air
2000 · Mr. Ball
High Noon
2000 · Frank Miller
Bad Guys
2000 · Jay Peters
The Stray
2000 · Ben
Sacrifice
2000 · Tyler Pierce
The Alternate
2000 · Agent Briggs
Luck of the Draw
2000 · Zippo
Voodoo Dawn
2000 · Frank Barlow
The Inspectors 2: A Shred of Evidence
2000 · Joe
Ultimate Target
2000 · Uncle
Flat Out
1999 · Gene
Ballad of the Nightingale
1999 · Giovanni
The Florentine
1999 · Whitey
Supreme Sanction
1999 · Dalton
Detour
1998 · Burl Rogers
Papertrail
1998 · FBI Agent Brad Abraham
The Sender
1998 · Dallas Grayson, Associate Producer
Species II
1998 · Press Lenox
Steve McQueen: The King of Cool
1998 · Self
Rough Draft
1998 · Haynes
Surface to Air
1997 · Gunnery Sgt. Zach Massin
The Girl Gets Moe
1997 · Donnelly
Catherine's Grove
1997 · Joe Mason
The Maker
1997 · Skarney
Executive Target
1997 · Nick James, Associate Producer
Donnie Brasco
1997 · Dominick 'Sonny Black' Napolitano
The Last Days of Frankie the Fly
1996 · Sal
The Winner
1996 · Wolf
Mulholland Falls
1996 · Eddie Hall
Red Line
1995 · Mr. Lawrence
Man with a Gun
1995 · John Wilbur Hardin
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
1995 · Glen Greenwood
Species
1995 · Preston Lennox
Wyatt Earp
1994 · Virgil Earp
Dead Connection
1994 · Det. Matt Dickson
Season of Change
1994 · Randy Parker
Blue Tiger
1994 · Gun Salesman (uncredited)
The Getaway
1994 · Rudy Travis
Who Do You Think You're Fooling?
1994 · Mr. Blonde (archive footage)
Inside Edge
1993 · Richard Montana
Money for Nothing
1993 · Detective Laurenzi
Almost Blue
1993 · Morris
Free Willy
1993 · Glen Greenwood
Beyond the Law
1993 · Blood
A House in the Hills
1993 · Mickey
Trouble Bound
1993 · Harry Talbot
To Kill For
1992 · Cliff Burden
Reservoir Dogs
1992 · Mr. Blonde / Vic Vega
Baby Snatcher
1992 · Cal Hudson
Straight Talk
1992 · Steve
Thelma & Louise
1991 · Jimmy
The Doors
1991 · Tom Baker
The End of Innocence
1990 · Earl
Montana
1990 · Pierce
Kill Me Again
1989 · Vince Miller
Blood Red
1989 · Enzio
Iguana
1988 · Sebastián
Shadows in the Storm
1988 · Earl
The Killing Time
1987 · Stu
The Natural
1984 · Bump Bailey
Racing with the Moon
1984 · Frank
Diner
1983 · Boogie
WarGames
1983 · Steve
Special Bulletin
1983 · Jimmy Lenox
Against All Hope
1982 · Cecil Moe
The First Circle
· Eli Brevil, Co-Producer
A Corpse in Kensington
· Michael
Saturday at the Starlight
· Frank Gunt
Cookbook for Southern Housewives
· Kingsley
Ava
· Peter
The Witching Hour
Sara Sarita
TV shows (35)
The Hateful Eight
2019 · Joe Gage
Master of Photography
2016
Emigratis
2016 · Self
Big Time In Hollywood
2015 · Harvey Scoles
Powers
2015 · SuperShock
Resumen semanal - Golden Boy
2013 · Walter Clark Sr.
Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side
2011 · Self
Bob's Burgers
2011 · Kevin Costner (voice)
Zulu Gumball
2010 · Self
Sangre Azul
2010 · John
Hawaii Five-0
2010 · Roy Parrish
Celebrity Ghost Stories
2009 · Self
Tilt
2005 · Don 'The Matador' Everest
On Air with Ryan Seacrest
2004 · Self
CSI: Miami
2002 · Cooper 'Coop' Daly
24
2001 · Jim Ricker
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
2001 · Self
Animal Precinct
2001
Celebrity Big Brother
2001 · Self
Big Apple
2001 · Terry Maddock
Vengeance Unlimited
1998 · Mr. Chapel
MADtv
1995 · Self
Gabriel's Fire
1990
The Outsiders
1990 · Mick Jenkins
Quantum Leap
1989 · Blue
War and Remembrance
1988 · 'Foof' Turhall
Sidewalks Entertainment
1988
Jake and the Fatman
1987
Tour of Duty
1987 · Sergeant Greg Block
Crime Story
1986 · Johnny Fosse
Our Family Honor
1985 · Augie Danzig
Miami Vice
1984 · Sally Alvarado
The Hitchhiker
1983 · John Hampton
St. Elsewhere
1982 · Mike O'Connor
Cagney & Lacey
1982