Michael Madsen

Mini Biography
At 6'2" and 190 pounds, Michael Madsen--the brother of actress Virginia Madsen--is equally adept at portraying heroic as well as villainous characters. There's something in the way he delivers his lines with an underlying aggression masked behind his gravelly tones that makes you feel very uneasy about his true intentions! Madsen first learned his craft at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, where he worked under John Malkovich, one of the theater's founders. His first few film roles were minor ones, in such projects as Against All Hope (1982), Racing with the Moon (1984) and The Natural (1984). His work received considerable notice, however, after his knife-edged performance as deranged killer Vince Miller in Kill Me Again (1989) and then as Susan Sarandon's rough-edged boyfriend Jimmy in Thelma & Louise (1991).

His big breakthrough, however, came as the sadistic jewel thief Mr. Blonde in Quentin Tarantino's low-budget hit Reservoir Dogs (1992). Audiences were glued to their seats as Madsen playfully danced around a tied-down and terrified police officer, slicing him with a knife and splashing gasoline all over the petrified man, all to the cheery tunes of Stealers Wheels' "Stuck In the Middle With You." Not to be typecast, Madsen surprised many with his performance as foster parent Glen Greenwood in the hit family movie Free Willy (1993) before returning to another criminal role as bank robber Rudy Travis in the remake of the Steve McQueen heist flick The Getaway (1994), and then back again as Glen Greenwood in Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995). Madsen continues to turn in edge-of-the-seat performances as morally bankrupt individuals on the wrong side of the law, as in his intense on-screen showings in Donnie Brasco (1997), Mulholland Falls (1996) and High Noon (2000) (TV). In 2003 he teamed up again with Tarantino in both "volumes" of Tarantino's magnum martial arts/revenge opus Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) as the coldly evil Budd (aka "Sidewinder"). In addition to his film work, Madsen has contributed dialogue to two of Sony PlayStations's biggest-selling games, Grand Theft Auto III (2001) (VG) and Driv3r (2004) (VG), as well as writing several books of his own poetry. Although uncomfortable with fame, Madsen's star continues to shine in Hollywood and his droll yet captivating acting style is ensuring him a steady flow of work as one on the screen's favorite "heavies".

IMDb Mini Biography By: firehouse44 (qv's & corrections by A. Nonymous)

Mini Biography
Michael Madsen is most notably recognized for his role as the sadistic killer, Mr. Blonde, in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. Although his career has leaned towards playing tough guys, partly because of his strong 6' 2" stature and husky voice, Michael has been working to change that image. Most recently, he gave a remarkable performance in Strength and Honour as Sean Kelleher, a boxer who had promised his dying wife that he would never fight again. When their son becomes ill after her death, he must go back in the ring and fight in order to pay for the exorbitant cost of his son's medical treatment. Michael Madsen's career spans over 25 years and over 170 films. He has played memorable characters in a myriad of box office hits, including Kill Bill, Sin City, Hell Ride, Die Another Day, Donnie Brasco, Species, The Getaway, The Doors, Thelma & Louise, and yes, he played the loving father in Free Willy. Michael also is an accomplished poet. His eighth book of poetry is being released on September 25th. Michael continues to turn in memorable performances and continues to stretch as an actor. Some believe his best work is yet to come.
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