Actor Michael Madsen, who was known for Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, died on Thursday, July 3, 2025. According to his representative Liz Rodriguez, he died from cardiac arrest. He was 67 years old.

Madsen was often cast as rough and tough characters due in part to his gravel voice and rugged looks. He starred in several of director Quentin Tarantino’s movies, starting with Reservoir Dogs as the cruel Mr. Blonde. He played Bud, an assassin and strip club bouncer, in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2, was the quiet cowboy Joe Gage in The Hateful Eight, and for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, he played a sheriff in a TV show within the movie.

He was born on September 25, 1957, in Chicago, Illinois, and began acting at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company where he starred in Of Mice and Men. Madsen moved to Los Angeles and worked as a mechanic while beginning his onscreen acting career. Throughout his career, Madsen starred in nearly 330 films and TV shows, with several projects in the works. Many of those projects were direct to video films and TV movies.

Madsen’s first role was in 1982’s Against All Hope, then he did two episodes of St. Elsewhere and was in WarGames and The Natural. He did guest spots in Cagney & Lacey, Jake and the Fatman, and Quantum Leap, and starred in The Doors as the band’s friend Tom Baker. He was in Thelma & Louise, Free Willy, played Virgil Earp in Wyatt Earp, and was in Species, Mulholland Falls, and Donnie Brasco.

He was in Die Another Day, Sin City, Scary Movie 4, a few episodes of 24, The Mob Doctor, and Powers, and he voiced Kilowog in Green Lantern: First Flight. Some of his later work was in Megalodon, The American Connection, A Christmas Gamble, and he recently starred in Resurrection Road.