Harvey Keitel shares touching tribute to ‘Reservoir Dogs’ co-star Michael Madsen
Following the tragic death of iconic actor Michael Madsen, his Reservoir Dogs co-star Harvey Keitel has shared a touching tribute.
Madsen first made his name in the 1980s in WarGames before becoming a prominent figure in Quentin Tarantino movies, including Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, and The Hateful Eight.
Madsen had passed away on July 3rd after being found unresponsive in his home in Malibu. Authorities pronounced the actor dead at the scene when they were called to his property.
It was during Reservoir Dogs that Madsen worked alongside Keitel. In a statement to The Post, Keitel remembered Madsen and shared some touching words. “We’ve lost another great American poet. Farewell, my dear friend,” he said.
He added: “I’ll never forget one of the best scenes I’ve ever seen on film — of you and Chris Penn fighting in Reservoir Dogs. A great love scene. Give Chris a hug for me.” He is here referring to Penn, Sean Penn’s brother who played “Nice Guy” Eddie Cabot; he passed away in 2006 at the age of 40.
Madsen’s sister, Virginia, also used the word “poet” to describe Madsen, who usually played the tough-guy archetype throughout a career spanning four decades. In a tribute shared with Variety, she wrote: “In a moving tribute shared with Variety, Madsen’s sister, Virginia, wrote: “He was thunder and velvet. Mischief wrapped in tenderness. A poet disguised as an outlaw.”
She continued, “A father, a son, a brother—etched in contradiction, tempered by love that left its mark. We’re not mourning a public figure. 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.”
After his final contribution to Tarantino’s work in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in 2019, Madsen’s team revealed that the actor was carving out a new chapter in his life in independent film. Their statement said in part: “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.”
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