Top 100 Badass Writers in History
#86: Michael Madsen
Born in Chicago, Micharl Madsen was the son of Elaine (Melson), an Emmy-winning poet, television producer and playwright, and Calvin Madsen, a firefighter. Under his parents’ instruction, Madsen became interested in the arts at a very young age. He was lucky enough to gain a position at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago where he worked as an apprentice to actor John Malkovich.
Madsen’s 6’2” stature and husky voice primed him to consistently play the role of tough guys. He is most well known for playing Mr Blonde in Quentin Tarantino’s film Reservoir Dogs. The scene where he sadistically slices open a police officer and pours gasoline over him, all to the tune of the cheerful song “Stuck in the Middle with You,” has become a cult film classic.
To date, Madsen’s career spans over 25 years and over 170 films. Some of his biggest box off ice hits include Mulholland Drive, Kill Bill (Vol 1-2), Donnie Brasco, Sin City and Free Willy. His personal aversion to violence and feelings of love and dedication towards his children have influenced the roles that he has taken on in later life, pushing him to move away from the bravado and arrogance of bully characters.
Even among his fans, Madsen is rarely acknowledged for his work as a poet. He has published six poetry collections to this date. His style is often compared to Beat Poetry, making use of the alienation and loneliness that he experiences in daily life. His words find the delicate balance between the rough images he often portrays and the man that he sees behind them, asking such questions as: “Life is for the living, but death is for the lucky. Why am I a raw nerve? Why must I see the immense sadness in everything?”
In 1998, his book Burning In Paradise won the Independent Firecracker Poetry Award, while in 2010 he was a Guest of Honor at the Crossing Border Festival at The Hague. He has even been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his Complete Poetic Works by Red Hen Press.
Madsen continues to work as an actor and has recently made a name for himself as an amateur photography. Although he has recently experienced several scrapes with the law, he remains confident that his artistic work is not yet finished.
