Michael Madsen, star of 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'Kill Bill', dies at 67

Michael Madsen, the gravel-voiced actor known for his tough-guy roles in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, has died at the age of 67, his publicist Liz Rodriguez confirmed.

Rodriguez told CNN that Madsen suffered a cardiac arrest and was found unresponsive at his Malibu home on Thursday morning.

No foul play is suspected, and the death appears to be from natural causes, according to the same report.

“Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, who will be missed by many,” read a joint statement from his managers Susan Ferris and Ron Smith of Bohemia Entertainment, along with Rodriguez.

Sgt. Jauregui, watch commander at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Lost Hills Station, confirmed to CNN that deputies responded to the actor’s residence, where he was pronounced dead at 8:25 a.m. local time.

A prolific performer with a brooding presence, Madsen carved out a distinctive niche in Hollywood, often portraying volatile, charismatic characters in gritty dramas and cult classics.

He was undoubtedly a cornerstone of Quentin Tarantino’s cinematic universe, embodying the director’s love for morally complex, charismatic antiheroes. His performance as Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs helped cement Tarantino’s status as a bold new voice in filmmaking, with Madsen’s chilling yet magnetic presence setting the tone for the film’s brutal, stylish aesthetic. Tarantino often referred to Madsen as part of his creative inner circle, originally envisioning him for major roles in Pulp Fiction and beyond. Their collaborations brought an edge and authenticity to Tarantino’s films that made Madsen a defining presence in the director’s gritty, genre-bending world.