Michael Madsen was trying to turn his life around right up until the very end.
The actor from “Reservoir Dogs,” who passed away on Thursday, July 3, at the age of 67, was reportedly sober at the time of his death, despite a lengthy struggle with alcoholism, according to TMZ.
Individuals familiar with Madsen informed the outlet that the “Kill Bill” actor was diligently working on maintaining his sobriety. This came after years of battling through rehab and dealing with depression and various personal challenges.
These sources further revealed that the “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” star was continually striving to manage his alcohol addiction. Madsen was even involved in mentoring other recovering addicts at a facility in Malibu.
While those closest to Madsen “hoped and believed” he was still working on his recovery, they were also said to be “uncertain about his state of mind” in the days and weeks leading up to his death.
One source, who claimed to have last spoken with Madsen on June 10, claimed that the “Thelma and Louise” actor was in “bad shape” less than one month before his sudden passing.
“He called me on June 10 and said, ‘I’m getting evicted from my house,’ and he was asking me for $10,000 to help him out,” the insider claimed to The Sun after Madsen’s death. “He told me ‘I’m going to rehab,’ and all this kind of stuff.”
“He really opened up to me. It was clear he had a lot going on in his life that was difficult for him to navigate,” the source added. “He was in bad shape, man.”
Madsen’s final years were filled with heartbreak.
In January 2022, Maden’s 26-year-old Army veteran son, Hudson, tragically took his own life in O’ahu, Hawaii.
“He was looking towards his future, so it’s mind-blowing,” Madsen told the Los Angeles Times in a statement at the time. “I just can’t grasp what happened.”
In August 2024, the “Sin City” actor was arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery. Weeks later, in September 2024, he filed for divorce from his third wife, DeAnna Madsen, after 28 years of marriage.
While the actor cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split, he also blamed DeAnna for their son’s suicide in the divorce documents, which he later took back.
Ron Smith, one of the “Donnie Brasco” star’s managers, confirmed Madsen’s death on Thursday. He claimed that Madsen died from cardiac arrest; however, no official cause of death has been disclosed by authorities.
A rep for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to The Post that Madsen was found unresponsive at his Malibu home and pronounced dead at the scene at 8:25 a.m. No foul play was suspected.
Madsen’s reps were the first to release a statement about his shocking passing.
“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,” managers Smith and Susan Ferris, plus publicist Liz Rodriguez, told The Post.
“Michael was also preparing to release a new book called ‘Tears for My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems,’ currently being edited,” they added. “Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, who will be missed by many.”
Other tributes also poured in.
Madsen’s sister, actress Virginia Madsen, remembered her late brother as a “poet disguised as an outlaw.” Harvey Keitel, who starred alongside Madsen in Quentin Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs,” remembered his “dear friend” as a “great American poet.”
The “Hateful Eight” star’s 19-year-old son, Luke, also paid tribute to his “hero” dad with a touching Instagram post.
Luke remembered his dad as the “coolest, most badass human” he ever knew and a “famous tough guy movie star.” The actor’s son also said that Madsen was a “damn good” father.
