NEED TO KNOW
On July 3, Michael Madsen was found dead at his home in Malibu.
The 67-year-old actor was known for his prolific career, appearing in dozens of films, including Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, The Hateful Eight, Free Willy, Thelma & Louise, among others.
Michael’s manager, Ron Smith, told PEOPLE that Michael “had a cardiac arrest and was found unresponsive in his Malibu home earlier this morning.”
In a statement, Michael’s managers, Smith and Susan Ferris, along with publicist Liz Rodriguez, said that the actor had recently completed work on upcoming movies and was “also preparing to release a new book called Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems, currently being edited.”
“Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, who will be missed by many,” his team added.
Here’s everything to know about Michael Madsen’s family, including his children and ex-wives.
He was married three times
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Michael was married to Georganne LaPiere and Jeannine Bisignano, according to The Guardian.
On April 15, 1996, Michael wed his third wife, DeAnna Madsen. The couple were together for 28 years, until Michael filed for divorce in September 2024, citing irreconcilable differences.
He welcomed 7 children
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Michael was the father of seven kids. He and Jeannine shared two sons, Christian and Max. Michael and DeAnna later welcomed three sons: Calvin, Hudson and Luke.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in May 2018, Michael opened up about being a typical dad at home, revealing that he had a big family.
“I’m just an actor. I’m a father, I’ve got seven children,” he said. “When I’m not making a movie, I’m home, in pajamas, watching The Rifleman on TV.”
His sons Christian and Max are actors
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Two of Michael’s sons, Christian and Max, followed their dad into the acting business.
Christian is known for his roles in Divergent and Palo Alto. Meanwhile, Max has appeared on Yellowstone and in multiple short films.
During an interview with W magazine in December 2017, Max revealed what it was like trying to make his mark in Hollywood without always tying back to Michael.
“It had nothing to do with my dad,” Max said about a Vogue shoot. “I try to do that as much as I can.”
Michael filed for divorce from DeAnna in 2022 after their son Hudson’s death
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In September 2024, Michael filed for divorce from DeAnna, after 28 years of marriage. The actor cited irreconcilable differences as the reason.
In the filing, Michael claimed he and DeAnna separated shortly after their son Hudson died at 26 by suicide on Jan. 25, 2022. According to a statement in the court documents, the Kill Bill star alleged their son was driven to die by suicide because of his estranged wife’s “neglect, drinking and alcoholism.”
Before the divorce filing, he was arrested on a charge of domestic battery in August 2024. His rep said in a statement to Variety, “It was a disagreement between Michael and his wife, which we hope resolves positively for them both.”
“Michael is struggling with his own personal issues. Myself and our children have been supporting him to the best of our ability. We would request privacy at this time,” DeAnna said at the time, per The Hollywood Reporter.
He considered his kids when picking projects
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Michael’s credits include classics like Kill Bill, Thelma & Louise, Wyatt Earp and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Still, as a working actor, he occasionally took roles just to provide for his kids, as he explained in a May 2018 Hollywood Reporter interview.
“Sometimes people forget that sometimes you have to pay the mortgage, sometimes you have to put your kids through school,” he said. “You can’t always pick the greatest script. And you pick a project you probably shouldn’t be involved in and then you have to live with it all your life.”
Michael experienced a few dark moments in his life, including multiple arrests. In February 2022, he was arrested on a charge of misdemeanor trespassing, a month after his son, Hudson, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Michael was also arrested twice for driving drunk, in 2012 and 2019. During the latter incident, he crashed his car and was sentenced to four days in jail and five years of probation, according to the Los Angeles Times.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
