Virginia Madsen Pays Heartfelt Tribute to Brother Michael Madsen After His Sudden Death

Virginia Madsen remembers her brother Michael Madsen — the iconic “Kill Bill” and “Reservoir Dogs” star — as a complex, poetic soul after his passing at age 67 due to cardiac arrest.

Hollywood, July 5 – Actress Virginia Madsen is mourning the loss of her brother, celebrated actor Michael Madsen, whose sudden death at age 67 from an apparent cardiac arrest has shaken both family and fans. In a deeply emotional tribute, Virginia — known for her roles in Sideways and Candyman — honored her brother not just as a Hollywood legend but as her “thunder and velvet”, a man full of contradictions, tenderness, and brilliance.

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Acclaimed actress Virginia Madsen has released a heartfelt statement following the sudden passing of her older brother, Michael Madsen, best known for his unforgettable performances in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” series and “Reservoir Dogs.” Michael died Thursday morning at his home in Malibu, with his representatives confirming the cause as cardiac arrest.

“My brother Michael has left the stage,” Virginia wrote in a powerful statement to Variety. “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.”

Virginia, who often shared red carpets and public appearances with Michael, went on to express that while the world may see her brother as a screen legend, her grief is deeply personal.

“We’re not mourning a public figure,” she said. “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.”

She added, “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.”

Michael Madsen, whose gritty voice and brooding presence became his trademark, was not only a prolific film actor with over 300 credits, but also a published poet and a frequent collaborator with Tarantino, appearing in The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood as well.

In the final phase of his life, Michael had been deeply engaged in independent cinema and was preparing the release of a new book titled “Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems”, which is now being finalized in his memory.

He and Virginia shared a rare sibling collaboration on-screen in the 2007 indie comedy mockumentary Being Michael Madsen, in which they portrayed fictionalized versions of themselves. The film also featured stars like David Carradine, Harry Dean Stanton, and Daryl Hannah — many of whom had worked with Michael previously.

The news of Michael’s death comes amid a career resurgence, with several independent films in production, including Resurrection Road, Concessions, and Cookbook for Southern Housewives.

His loss has struck a chord not only with his peers and family but with the generations of fans who embraced his raw, rebellious, and emotionally charged performances.