Michael Madsen Net Worth

What was Michael Madsen's Net Worth?

Michael Madsen was an American actor, poet, and photographer who had a net worth of $500 thousand at the time of his death. Unfortunately, Michael died on July 3, 2025, at the age of 67.

Madsen began acting in the early 1980s after training at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre. His breakout role came in 1992 as Mr. Blonde in Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs," delivering a chilling and unforgettable performance that established him as a cult icon. His collaboration with Tarantino continued in films like "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" and "Kill Bill: Vol. 2," where he played Budd, a weary former assassin.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Madsen built a reputation as a prolific character actor. He appeared in notable films such as "Thelma & Louise," "Donnie Brasco," "Wyatt Earp," "Species," and "Sin City." Though often cast as a villain or morally ambiguous figure, Madsen brought a charismatic intensity to each role, balancing menace with humanity.

In addition to film, Madsen worked in television, voice acting, and independent cinema. He voiced characters in the video game "Grand Theft Auto III" and appeared on shows like "24" and "Blue Bloods." He was a published poet, with several volumes of gritty, introspective poetry to his name.

Bankruptcy & Financial Problems

Michael Madsen's net worth may have been higher, but he did experience a number of financial speed bumps during his career. Most notably, he filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and was sued by a former landlord for racking up $80,000 worth of unpaid rent on a house in Malibu. At the time of his bankruptcy filing, Madsen claimed his monthly income was just $3,300 and that he owed $1 million to Quentin Tarantino and $25,000 to Pierce Brosnan. He was listed as one of California's 100 biggest tax delinquents on and off for over a decade. In 2013, Madsen resolved a $640,000 IRS debt issue. As late as June 2021, he was still ranked as one of California's biggest tax delinquents, with a debt of $509,029.92. He was not listed as a delinquent at the time of his death.

By his own admission, Michael recovered his finances by agreeing to appear in dozens of films and other projects, purely for the paychecks. And even though many of these projects were B-movies that went straight to DVD or streaming, his status as an in-demand actor for major productions never faltered.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Michael Søren Madsen was born on September 25, 1957, in Chicago, Illinois. He is the son of Elaine, an author and filmmaker, and Calvin, a World War II Navy veteran and Chicago Fire Department firefighter. Michael has two siblings, entrepreneur Cheryl and actress Virginia Madsen, who earned an Oscar nomination for her role in the 2004 film "Sideways." Madsen is of Danish ancestry on his father's side and of German, English, Irish, Scottish, and Native American ancestry on his mother's side.

In Chicago, Michael got his start working at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company as an apprentice under actor John Malkovich; he also appeared in a production of Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men." After appearing in the 1982 film "Against All Hope," Madsen landed a notable, small film part in the 1983 Cold War thriller "WarGames."

Big Screen Breakthroughs

Throughout the rest of the '80s, Madsen appeared in films such as "Racing with the Moon," "The Natural," "The Killing Time," "Shadows in the Storm," and "Kill Me Again." However, his first major film role came in 1991 when he was cast as Jimmy in the buddy road film "Thelma & Louise," starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis. An even bigger part came the next year in "Reservoir Dogs," the directorial debut of Quentin Tarantino. Michael played Mr. Blonde, a cruel mobster who, in the film's most famous scene, taunts and slices the ear off of a bound police officer.

Madsen continued to land significant roles throughout the rest of the decade, including in the comedy thriller "Fatal Instinct," the crime film "Trouble Bound," the family drama "Free Willy," the action thriller "The Getaway," the Western "Wyatt Earp," the science-fiction horror film "Species," and the neo-noir "Mulholland Falls." In 1997, Michael starred in the gangster film "Donnie Brasco" alongside Al Pacino and Johnny Depp, and in 1998, he had leading roles in "Species II" and the war film "Surface to Air." In 1999, Madsen appeared alongside his sister, Virginia, in "The Florentine."

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Continued Film Career

In the early 2000s, Madsen was in "The Alternate," the James Bond film "Die Another Day," and the rom-com "My Boss's Daughter." In 2003, he re-teamed with Quentin Tarantino for "Kill Bill: Volume 1," in which he played the assassin Budd, and subsequently appeared in "Kill Bill: Volume 2" in 2004. His credits after this included "Sin City," "Chasing Ghosts," "BloodRayne," "The Last Drop," "Living & Dying," "Tooth and Nail," "The Killing Jar," "Loosies," "Amsterdam Heavy," and "Along the Roadside."

Madsen had a big year on the big screen in 2015. He was in seven films, including the British action movie "Skin Traffik," the Canadian drama "No Deposit," the psychological thriller "Flipped," and the crime drama "Death in the Desert." He was also part of the ensemble of Tarantino's Western film "The Hateful Eight." Subsequent credits have included "Vigilante Diaries," "Rock Paper Dead," "Papa," "The Garden Left Behind," "Welcome to Acapulco," and another Tarantino film, "Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood."

Television Career

Madsen made his first appearance on television in 1983, in two episodes of the medical drama "St. Elsewhere." He was in the television film "Special Bulletin" that same year. Following this, Michael was in episodes of "Cagney & Lacey," "Miami Vice," and "The Hitchhiker." From September 1985 to January 1986, he was part of the ensemble of the ABC drama series "Our Family Honor." Later credits include "Almost Grown," "Tour of Duty," "Quantum Leap," "The Outsiders," and the crime drama "Vengeance Unlimited," on which he starred opposite Kathleen York. The show ran for 16 episodes.

Madsen has been on many other shows, including "Big Apple," the miniseries "Tilt," "CSI: Miami," "24," "The Mob Doctor," "Hawaii Five-0," and "Powers," an online streaming series. He has also been in numerous made-for-television films such as "Montana," "Baby Snatcher," "Beyond the Law," "High Noon," "Sacrifice," "Frankenstein," "Croc," and "Megalodon."

Poetry and Photography

In addition to acting, Madsen is an accomplished poet and photographer. Having begun writing in the early '90s, he released the volumes "Beer, Blood and Ashes," "Eat the Worm," and "Burning in Paradise." In 2005, he released the poetry collection "The Complete Poetic Works of Michael Madsen, Vol 1: 1995 – 2005." Later works have included "American Badass" and "Expecting Rain." Michael has cited Charles Bukowski and Jack Kerouac as influences on his poetic style.

In 2006, Madsen released his debut book of photography, called "Signs of Life." Published by 13 Hands Publications and dedicated to his late friend Chris Penn, the book also contains selections of Michael's poetry.

Personal Life and Philanthropy

In 1984, Madsen married Georganne LaPiere; two years later, they divorced. In 1991, he wed his second wife, Jeannine Bisignano. After having two children, including future actor Christian, they divorced in 1995. The following year, Michael married DeAnna Morgan, with whom he has three children.

Madsen has been recognized for his philanthropic involvement, including his work with the Shriners Hospital for Children. In 2016, to benefit those with pediatric cancer, he hosted an event called "An Intimate Evening with Michael Madsen."

Death

Unfortunately, Michael Madsen died on July 3, 2025, at the age of 67.

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