‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ star Michael Madsen dies aged 67

He is also remembered for the films 'Free Willy', 'Donnie Brasco', 'Die Another Day' and 'Sin City'

Michael Madsen, the actor known for his roles in Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill and Donnie Brasco, has died at the age of 67.

His representatives confirmed that he suffered a cardiac arrest and was found unresponsive by police at his home in Malibu, California on Thursday morning (July 3).

Madsen’s managers Susan Ferris and Ron Smith and publicist Liz Rodriguez released a statement that read: “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.”

He is best remembered as being a regular presence in the films of Quentin Tarantino, dating back to Reservoir Dogs in 1992. His performance as Mr. Blonde, which included the iconic ‘Stuck In The Middle With You’ torture scene, served as a major breakthrough for Madsen.

He turned down the role of Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction, but did go on to star in Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Volume 2, playing Budd, aka Sidewinder, a former assassin who was now a washed-up bouncer living in a trailer, as well as The Hateful Eight, in which he played Joe Gage, an outlaw posing as a cowboy-turned-writer. He also had a cameo in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, appearing in the fictional film-within-a-film 14 Fists Of McCluskey.

Born in Chicago on September 25, 1967, he had early significant roles in WarGames (1983) and The Natural (1984) and landed a recurring role in Miami Vice, but his Hollywood career took off after Reservoir Dogs.

He went on to star in the family hit Free Willy in 1993 and starred alongside Al Pacino and Johnny Depp in Donnie Brasco in 1997. Often cast as a rough, rugged alpha male, his other most notable roles came in Wyatt Earp (1994), Die Another Day (2002) and Sin City (2005).

Madsen was also a published poet, with collections including Burning In Paradise and Expecting Rain.