Michael Madsen’s sister Virginia Madsen has paid a heartbreaking tribute to her brother following his death at 67.
Virginia, 63, is the younger sister of the late Kill Bill star, and the pair have supported one another throughout their respective careers in Hollywood.
‘My brother Michael has left the stage,’ Virginia said.
‘He was thunder and velvet. Mischief wrapped in tenderness. A poet disguised as an outlaw. A father, a son, a brother — etched in contradiction, tempered by love that left its mark.’
‘We’re not mourning a public figure,’ she added. ‘We’re not mourning a myth — but flesh and blood and ferocious heart. Who stormed through life loud, brilliant, and half on fire. Who leaves us echoes — gruff, brilliant, unrepeatable — half legend, half lullaby.’
Michael Madsen’s Oscar-nominated sister Virginia Madsen pays heartbreaking tribute after his death
She concluded in a statement obtained by Variety: ‘I’ll miss our inside jokes, the sudden laughter, the sound of him. I’ll miss the boy he was before the legend; I miss my big brother.’
‘Thank you to everyone reaching out with love and memory. In time, we’ll share how we plan to celebrate his life — but for now, we stay close, and let the silence say what words can’t.’
The White Lotus star Walton Goggins, who featured with Madsen in the 2015 Quentin Tarantino picture The Hateful Eight, paid tribute to his co-star on Instagram.
Sharing a selfie with Madsen and their castmate Tim Roth, Goggins wrote: ‘Michael Madsen… this man… this artist… this poet… this rascal…F***ing ICON…. Aura like no one else. Ain’t enough words so I’ll just say this…. I love you buddy. A H8TER forever’.
Jennifer Tilly tweeted a still of herself in the 1994 movie The Getaway, which starred them along with Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger and James Woods.
‘Michael was one of my favorite actors I ever worked with. “The Getaway” was very early in my career and he made me feel safe and supported,’ she remembered.
‘He was wildly audacious and rambunctious with his character choices, and had a wicked sense of humor. I don’t recall ever laughing so much on a film set in my life. A huge talent. Gone too soon. Rip Michael Madsen.’
Alec Baldwin’s brother Billy Baldwin paid his own tribute, writing on X: ‘Fitting that Michael Madsen would pass away on 4th of July weekend. He was no firecracker… a total stick of dynamite on screen and in life. Rest easy my friend.’
The White Lotus star Walton Goggins, who featured with Madsen in the 2015 Quentin Tarantino picture The Hateful Eight, shared a selfie of them with their castmate Tim Roth
Robert Rodriguez, who directed Madsen in the 2005 thriller Sin City, shared an evocative photo of them on the set with one of the film’s other stars, Bruce Willis
Jennifer Tilly tweeted a still of herself in the 1994 movie The Getaway, which starred them along with Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger and James Woods
Robert Rodriguez, who directed Madsen in the 2005 thriller Sin City, shared an evocative photo of them on the set with one of the film’s other stars, Bruce Willis.
‘Frank Miller and I have always loved telling the story how no one was allowed to improvise any dialogue on Sin City. (We wanted to have the movie be incredibly faithful to his graphic novel.) But we bent that rule every day Michael Madsen worked with us,’ Rodriguez shared alongside the snap.
‘Being a fantastic writer, he just kept bringing us one golden additional line after another, and he would make us laugh so much we’d relent and say to each other, “Well if we’re going to break the rule with someone, it might as well be Michael Madsen. He keeps coming up with such great lines!”’
Rodriguez continued: ‘The other rule we broke was by casting someone who didn’t look at all like the drawn character in the book.
‘Michael was so larger than life, we just felt he would make a much better partner to Bruce Willis’ detective, I mean, what an ultimate cop team! And he was just an absolute joy to work with. I will miss you Michael, you truly are one of the greats.’
Alec Baldwin’s brother Billy Baldwin paid his own tribute, hailing his ‘friend’ dynamite as ‘a total stick of dynamite on screen and in life’
Rob Schneider uploaded a behind-the-scenes snap of Madsen’s guest shot on a 2017 episode of the funnyman’s sitcom Real Job
Rob Schneider uploaded a behind-the-scenes snap of Madsen’s guest shot on a 2017 episode of the funnyman’s sitcom Real Job.
‘Michael Madsen was a dream to work with.A truly gifted actor & gentleman who made every person on the set comfortable; generous with his stories & with his infectious laughter.I only wish we could have done more things together in this crazy business,’ he wrote. ‘My love to his kids & friends.’
The legendary actor was found ‘unresponsive’ at his Malibu home early Thursday morning, DailyMail.com can confirm.
Deputies responded to the Los Angeles County home after a 911 call early Thursday. Madsen was pronounced dead at the home.
The star’s manager Ron Smith claimed to Dailymail.com that Madsen had died from ‘cardiac arrest.’
Virginia, 63, is the younger sister of the late Kill Bill star, and the pair have supported one another throughout their respective careers in Hollywood
She concluded her heartbreaking statement saying: ‘I miss my big brother.’
A statement from the star’s representatives read: ‘In the last two years Michael Madsen has been doing some incredible work with independent film including upcoming feature films Resurrection Road, Concessions and Cookbook for Southern Housewives, and was really looking forward to this next chapter in his life.
‘Madsen was also preparing to release a new book called Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems.
‘Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, who will be missed by many.’
Madsen was best known for his frequent collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino, starring in Reservoir Dogs (1992), Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004), The Hateful Eight (2015), and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).
He also starred in 1997’s Donnie Brasco as Sonny Black
Madsen is survived by his five children. His son Hudson died by suicide in 2022 aged 26.
