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Michael Madsen (September 25, 1957 – July 3, 2025) was a powerhouse character actor whose distinctive presence and gravel-and-velvet voice made him unforgettable in film and television. Perhaps best known for his raw, chilling performance as Mr. Blonde in 'Reservoir Dogs', and his work in Tarantino classics like 'Kill Bill' and 'The Hateful Eight', Madsen also brought gravitas to the world of Bond, playing NSA Chief Damian Falco in 2002’s 'Die Another Day'.

Born in Chicago, Madsen appeared in over 150 films and countless TV series. Beyond his Bond credit, he is remembered for roles in 'The Doors,' 'Thelma & Louise,' 'Free Willy,' 'Donnie Brasco,' and fan favorites like 'Sin City.' A poet and photographer, he frequently remarked on the necessity of pragmatic choices in his career, saying: "Some of the roles I’m only in for 10 minutes, but they bought my name… I had to buy groceries and I had to put gas in the car.” 

In 'Die Another Day', Madsen introduced audiences to Damian Falco - a no-nonsense, sleekly pragmatic head of the NSA whose icy American bite cuts through MI6’s more cavalier style. He is scathing of MI6’s operations and reluctant to seek peaceful resolutions, focused squarely on what he considered best for the U.S.

When offered the role, Madsen initially hesitated to accept being “some glorified extra who gets killed by a death ray from space.” He wanted to be part of the Bond world in a substantive way. Director Lee Tamahori and producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson later offered him Falco, “the head of the NSA… a military commander type of a guy.”

Madsen appreciated the role’s potential longevity in the franchise: "They could introduce me as a recurring character, so I’d come back in Bond 21 and 22," he told MI^ back in 2003. "And then they said if I got tired of it, they’d assassinate me and Bond could use my death as a vengeful reason to do something (laughs).”

In another MI6 interview, he reflected on his part: "I’d say Bond was very exciting, very watchable. It is definitely somewhere near the top. I wish I’d had more to do. But as far as the movies are concerned… I don’t have anything negative to say about it."

Michael Madsen passed away on July 3, 2025, at his home in Malibu, California, after suffering cardiac arrest at the age of 67. He is survived by six children, including actor Christian Madsen, and is predeceased by their mother.