Michael Madsen Biography
American film actor Michael Madsen gainув fame after his role in Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs." His filmography includes more than 150 films across various genres, and he also worked in voice acting and screenwriting.
Childhood
Michael was born on September 25, 1958, in Chicago, Illinois. His father Kevin Madsen was a firefighter, while his mother Elaine Madsen worked as a television producer and poet. Michael was the middle child, with two sisters - older sister Cheryl and younger sister Virginia. When he turned 9, his parents divorced.


Acting Career
Michael first gained recognition in 1989 with his role in "Kill Me Again," directed by John Dahl. This was followed in 1991 by "Thelma & Louise" and "The Getaway." But it was his 1992 appearance in the crime film "Reservoir Dogs" that really put him on the map. The movie made Quentin Tarantino a household name and launched Michael (who played Mr. White) into the ranks of popular American film actors.
The 2000s are best remembered for his return to Tarantino's world in "Kill Bill" alongside Uma Thurman; Madsen appeared in both volumes. Another high-profile film was 2002's "Die Another Day," the latest Bond installment starring Pierce Brosnan. Other notable works include "Sin City," "Scary Movie 4," "Strength and Honor," and "Hell Ride."
While the 2010s brought fewer major projects for Michael Madsen, he remained quite active in film. Highlights include another Tarantino collaboration, "The Hateful Eight."

Other Projects
Michael Madsen also worked as a producer on several films: "Tooth and Nail" (2007), "Now Here" (2010), "Vice" (2008), and several others. He's made his mark in voice acting too (most notably in "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"), as well as animated films ("Green Lantern: First Flight") and video games (GTA III, Dishonored).Beyond that, Michael wrote poetry since age 10. Between 1995 and 2012, he published a total of 8 collections of his poetry.

Finally, Madsen has appeared in several music videos, including a "Kill Bill" inspired clip for the song "Black Widow" by Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora.
Michael Madsen's Personal Life
Michael Madsen was married three times. His first wife was Georganne La Piere, the half-sister of famous singer Cher. Their marriage lasted 4 years: from 1984 to 1988.Earlier, in 1797, Madsen had a daughter named Jessica. Her mother was a woman named Dana Mehling.
The actor's second marriage – to actress Jeannine Bisignano – also lasted 4 years, from 1991 to 1995. They had two sons, Christian and Max. Both followed in their parents' footsteps when they grew up.
Madsen married for the third time in 1996 to actress DeAnna Morgan. They had three sons: Luke, Calvin, and Hudson. Another famous actor, Harvey Keitel, became godfather to one of them.

In August 2020, Madsen was arrested on charges of beating his wife. He was released on $20,000 bail. But due to lack of evidence, the case was dropped.
In January 2022, the actor's youngest son took his own life.
Final Years and Death
In his final years, Michael Madsen kept working, including with his favorite director. In 2019, the actor appeared in Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie. The film was based on the true story of Charlie Manson and his family, who were responsible for the murder of actress Sharon Tate.
On July 3, 2025, news broke of Michael Madsen's death. The actor's body was found at his Malibu home. He died of cardiac arrest, as his manager Ron Smith told the Daily Mail.
His lawyer Perry Wander told the press that Michael had been dealing with health problems. Madsen had struggled with alcoholism for many years, and while he'd tried to live a healthier lifestyle in recent years, the disease had taken a serious toll on his body.
Additionally, according to Wander, Madsen was crushed by a legal battle with his ex-wife over alimony:I just spoke to Michael two days ago. 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.
I blame her for putting in the screws over his last years of life. Michael lived a life of regrets – those regrets being his two marriages.