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Michael Madsen (born September 25, 1958 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American actor, the brother of actress Virginia Madsen.
Madsen's acting career started at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, where he served as an apprentice actor under John Malkovich. Soon after, he was cast in a small role in the movie War Games and he moved to Los Angeles. After a series of minor film roles, he caught the public's and critics' attention as "Vince Miller", a deranged killer in Kill Me Again and then with his portrayal of Susan Sarandon's tough but touching boyfriend "Jimmy" in Thelma & Louise.
But it was in Reservoir Dogs as the knife-wielding, sadistic ex-con and jewel thief, "Mr. Blonde" that Madsen achieved his breakthrough role. In one famous scene, Madsen tied up a cop and danced around him to a radio playing "Stuck In the Middle With You," while cutting him with a knife (including one swipe that took off the officer's ear) and dousing him with gasoline.
The following year, Madsen caught the public's attention again but this time as "Glen Greenwood" in Free Willy. Appearances in Wyatt Earp, Mulholland Falls, Species were all well-received and popular but it was his performance as "Sonny Black" in Donnie Brasco with Al Pacino and Johnny Depp which brought the most critical acclaim so far for the intense, gravely-voiced actor.
Madsen has also appeared regular in TV projects - most notably in the role of "Mr. Chapel" in the short lived series, Vengeance Unlimited and most recently as "Don Everest" in the poker-themed ESPN series Tilt. His big screen appearances continue as well including a role as "Damian Falco" in the James Bond franchise and "Budd" in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill
Not content with achieving success in one creative field, Madsen is also a published poet, with several books out including Burning in Paradise, a blessing of the hounds, 46 down, a book of dreams & other ramblings.
Madsen was offered the role of Vincent Vega (but with the name Vic Vega), but was far too busy to star in the movie.
Madsen also appeared in Frank Miller's Sin City as John Hartigan's corrupt police partner Bob.
Madsen had also provided the voice of Tanner in the Driver series of video games and the voice of mob boss Toni Ciprani in the video game Grand Theft Auto III, and will also be doing voicework on the same character in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.
Michael Madsen Filmography
Actor
• Frankenstein (2005)
• Bloodrayne (2005)
• Sin City (2005)
• Renegade (2004)
• Tilt: The Complete First Season (2004)
• Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004)
• Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004)
• 44 Minutes (2003)
• Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003)
• My Boss's Daughter (2003)
• Strip 'n Run (2002)
• Die Another Day (2002)
• 42K (2001)
• Luck of the Draw (2001)
• Pressure Point (2001)
• Choke (2000)
• The Ghost (2000)
• The Inspectors 2: A Shred of Evidence (2000)
• L.A.P.D.: To Protect and Serve (2000)
• Primal Instinct (2000)
• Sacrifice (2000)
• Vampires Anonymous (2000)
• The Price of Air (2000)
• The Price of Air (2000)
• High Noon (2000)
• Agent of Death (1999)
• The Stray (1999)
• Supreme Sanction (1999)
• Voodoo Dawn (1999)
• Detour (1998)
• The Florentine (1998)
• Species II (1998)
• Catherine's Grove (1997)
• Diary of a Serial Killer (1997)
• Executive Target (1997)
• Love To Kill (1997)
• The Maker (1997)
• The Sender (1997)
• Surface to Air (1997)
• Trail of a Serial Killer (1997)
• The Winner (1997)
• Donnie Brasco (1997)
• Donnie Brasco (1997)
• The Last Days of Frankie the Fly (1996)
• Mulholland Falls (1996)
• Red Line (1995)
• Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995)
• Species (1995)
• Beyond the Law (1994)
• Dead Connection (1994)
• Man With a Gun (1994)
• Season of Change (1994)
• Wyatt Earp (1994)
• The Getaway (1994)
• Almost Blue (1993)
• A House in the Hills (1993)
• Money for Nothing (1993)
• Free Willy (1993)
• Fatal Instinct (1992)
• Trouble Bound (1992)
• Reservoir Dogs (1992)
• Straight Talk (1992)
• Thelma & Louise (1991)
• The Doors (1991)
• Kill Me Again (1990)
• The End of Innocence (1990)
• Iguana (1988)
• The Killing Time (1987)
• The Natural (1984)
• Racing With the Moon (1984)
• Against All Hope (1982)
Producer
• The Price of Air (2000)
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