Date of Birth: September 25, 1958

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Michael Madsen began his acting career there as an apprentice with John Malkovich at the Steppenwolf Theatre. He appeared on the stage in A Streetcar Named Desire and Of Mice and Men.

He traveled to Tinseltown when he landed a role in the film War Games (1975), which he followed up by playing tough guys in movies such as Thelma and Louise and Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992), in which he casually loped off a cop's ear while sashaying to a boogey beat. He also played mechanic Glen Greenwood, who takes in and mentors a troubled boy in Free Willy (1993) and the sequel, Free Willy 2:The Adventure Home (1995).

Madsen is the son of a firefighter and the brother of actress Virginia Madsen. His mother is Elaine Madsen, an award-winning writer and producer. Michael has also had three books of poetry published. Married to third wife De Anna Morgan since 1996, he has five sons.

FILMOGRAPHY:

Sin City 2 (2010)
The Big I Am (2009)
The Lion of Judah (2009)
Conflict of Interest (2009)
Let the Game Begin (2009)
Break (2009)
The Bleeding (2009)
Shannon's Rainbow (2009)
Killer's Freedom (2008)
Road Raiders (2008)
Hired Gun (2008)
You Might As Well Live (2008)
Chamaco (2008)
45 R.P.M. (2008)
The Portal (2008)
Outrage (2008)
Money to Burn (2008)
No Bad Days (2008)
Deep Winter (2008)
Last Hour (2008)
Hell Ride (2008)
Inglorious Bastards (2007)
Boarding Gate (2006)
Canes (2006)
Gay Like Me? (2006)
Afghan Knights (2006)
King of Sorrow (2006)
All In (2006)
Scary Movie 4 (2006)
Firedog (2005) (voice)
Living & Dying (2006)
Scary Movie 4 (2006) Last Hour (2006)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) (uncredited)
BloodRayne (2005)
L.A. Dicks (2005)
Chasing Ghosts (2005)
Sin City (2005)
A Christmas Cop (2004)
L.A. Dicks (2004)
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
Blueberry (2004)
The Distance (2003)
Hunt for the Devil (2003)
Vampires Anonymous (2003)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
My Boss's Daughter (2003)
The Confidence Game (2002)
The Real Deal (2002)
Welcome to America (2002)
Die Another Day (2002)
Microwave Park (2001)
Outlaw (2001)
Pressure Point (2001)
Extreme Honor (2001)
Bad Guys (2000)
Fall (2000)
The Ghost (2000)
Ides of March (2000)
Love.com (2000)
Luck of the Draw (2000)
The Florentine (1999)
The Alternate (1999)
The Stray (1999)
Ballad of the Nightingale (1998)
Detour (1998)
The Theif and the Stripper (1998)
Fait Accompli (1998)
Species 2 (1998)
The Maker (1997)
Donnie Brasco (1997)
Catherine's Grove (1997)
Executive Target (1997)
The Girl Gets Moe (1997)
Rough Draft (1997)
Papertrail (1997)
The Sender (1997)
Surface to Air (1997)
The Maker (1997)
Donnie Brasco (1997)
The Last Days of Frankie the Fly (1997)
Mulholland Falls (1996)
Man with a Gun (1996)
Red Line (1996)
The Winner (1996)
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995)
Species (1995)
Wyatt Earp (1994)
The Getaway (1994)
Blue Tiger (1994)
Dead Connection (1993)
Fatal Instinct (1993)
Free Willy (1993)
A House in the Hills (1993)
Money for Nothing (1993)
Trouble Bound (1992)
Almost Blue (1992)
Beyond the Law (1992)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Straight Talk (1991)
The Doors (1991)
The End of Innocence (1991)
Inside Edge (1991)
Thelma & Louise (1989)
Kill Me Again (1988)
Blood Red (1988)
Iguana (1988)
Shadows in the Storm (1987)
The Killing Time (1984)
The Natural (1984)
Racing With the Moon (1983)
War Games (1975)