Michael Madsen Told David Letterman That He Really Put a Guy in His Trunk While Making ‘Reservoir Dogs’
by JM McNab · Cracked.comR.I.P. Michael Madsen
July 03, 2025
Sad news for movie fans, actor Michael Madsen has reportedly passed away at the age 67. Madsen is perhaps best known for his work with Quentin Tarantino in movies like Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, but for a generation of people who grew up in the ‘90s, he will always be the heroic foster dad who helped to free Willy.
Still, it’s hard to argue that his most iconic performance wasn’t as Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs. The famous torture scene, in which Mr. Blonde goes full van Gogh on a kidnapped police officer, is one of the most famous movie scenes of the ‘90s. It was subsequently parodied on shows like The Simpsons and Bob’s Burgers, presumably to the joy of any surviving members of Steeler’s Wheel.
Following the news of Madsen’s death, David Letterman’s official YouTube channel, which frequently (and somewhat confusingly) honors late celebrities with archival clips, posted an old interview with Madsen. The actor popped by The Late Show in 1994 to promote Reservoir Dogs.
While the “powerful” film clearly impressed Letterman, Madsen’s ultra laid back attitude also brought out Letterman’s snark. When Madsen mumbled about how he likes to sleep a lot, Letterman fired back, “Are you taking a little nap now?” To be fair, he did apologize afterwards.
On the subject of Reservoir Dogs, Letterman asked about how Madsen prepared for the role. “There are some actors who like to research,” Madsen explained. “The guy who played the cop (who gets tortured) in Reservoir Dogs … he came to me and asked me to drive him around in the trunk of my car so he could get into character.”
Madsen obliged the request, but soon realized that it was also a good way for him to get into character as the psychotic Mr. Blonde. “I thought that was pretty funny, and I didn’t think there’d be anything in it for me until I got him in the trunk,” the Donnie Brasco star recalled. “So he wanted me to drive him around the block, but I drove around for about 45 minutes. I went to Taco Bell, and got a Coke. He didn’t appreciate it. Especially when I opened the trunk when we got back, he was all sweaty and he was all banged up.”
It may have seemed as though Madsen was embellishing the story for Letterman’s audience, but he told the exact same anecdote in an interview for the Reservoir Dogs DVD. In addition to the fact that he seemingly really did take actor Kirk Baltz for a joyride in his trunk, and really did stop at a Taco Bell, what Madsen didn’t reveal on The Late Show was that he also purposefully drove over potholes and cranked the radio in order to drown out the sounds of Baltz’s furious screams.
One can only wonder then if Madsen ever liberated any captive orcas to prep for Free Willy.
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