EXCLUSIVE: Michael Madsen's Agonizing End — How Friends Feared He Was 'Not Going to Live Long' Amid 'Stress and Heartache' After We Revealed 'Cause of Death' Was 'Drinking Himself into Grave'
Michael Madsen was on a dark path that ultimately led to his tragic death.
July 7 2025, Published 4:45 p.m. ET
Michael Madsen's death shook the industry, but his tragic passing did not come as a surprise to his close friends, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
On July 3, the Reservoir Dogs actor was found unresponsive in his Malibu home and was pronounced dead at the scene, but his wild behavior and addiction may have led to his sad end, according to his pals.
Madsen's Dark Road
Michael Madsen spent decades battling booze but finally got sober in the lead up toward his death.
After Madsen appeared at the Arpa International Film Awards in Los Angeles on November 20, 2024, his haggard appearance shocked fans and his inner circle.
"You had to blink your eyes twice to even recognize it was Michael,” an eyewitness said at the time. "He looked like he’s aged 20 years almost overnight."
It didn't help that the Kill Bill actor had issues with alcohol for years, even finding himself in rehab following a 2012 DUI bust. Then, in 2019, he was hit with another DUI conviction, spending four days behind bars and getting probation.
'You Can See It In His Face'
The 'Kill Bill' star landed in rehab following numerous DUI busts.
However, the dark times continued as his son, Hudson, 26, would then fatally shoot himself while on active duty with the U.S. Army in Hawaii in January 2022.
Then, just a month later, the grieving movie star was arrested for trespassing on an unnamed property in Malibu.
"Michael has a lot of issues, but the biggest one now is he’s deeply in debt,” a friend said at the time of Madsen's chaotic life. "He knows his glory days in films are long behind him, but he makes a dozen or more movies every year for the cash to keep from going bust."
Who Is To Blame For His Death?
Following his son Hudson's suicide, Madsen filed for divorce from wife, Deanna.
The devastating time in his life was clearly taking a toll on Madsen, as an insider said: "You can see it in his face. He has a lot of stress and heartache in his life, and his friends are afraid he’s not going to live long the way he is going."
Following his death, Madsen's manager revealed he had passed away from cardiac arrest. However, the star's lawyer, Perry Wander, hinted he may have "drank himself to death" as his booze demons spiraled out of control.
"I just spoke to Michael two days ago. I knew he was not well," Wander claimed. "Michael was suffering from the effects of alcoholism. He had multiple stints in and out of rehab. He struggled to maintain his sobriety. He was not happy about his life."
According to the lawyer, his client was also facing a brutal legal battle with his estranged wife, DeAnna, which saw the couple fighting over child support and other finances.
"I blame her for putting in the screws over his last years of life," he added, claiming their legal batter, which saw the Hollywood star's passport be "maliciously revoked," impacted his ability to travel and work abroad.
Wander added: "Michael lived a life of regrets – those regrets being his two marriages."
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Madsen was found unresponsive in his Malibu home.
In September 2024, Madsen filed for divorce from his estranged wife, DeAnna, after nearly 30 years of marriage, and blamed her for their son's suicide, claiming her "neglect, drinking, and alcoholism" led to the young man's death.
Madsen was previously married to actress Jeannine Bisignano from 1991 to 1995, and before that had been in a marriage to Cher's sister, Georganne LaPiere.
