Michael Madsen Interview

MICHAEL MADSEN INTERVIEW CONTENTS:

- Getting involved in "Reservoir Dogs"
- Campaigning to play 'Mr. Pink'
- Having reservation about the infamous 'era scene'
- Stuck in the 50's
- Toe to toe with Harvey Keitel
- "Harvey's the real deal. He's 'what you see is what you get.' He's up there with Al (Pacino) & Robert Duvall"
- "If you take 'Mr. Blonde out of "Reservoir Dogs" then what do you got?"
- "The reson why I didn't want to play Mr. Blonde...."
- Godfather Keitel, "Do you renounce Satan?"
- Insight from the author of "Straight Time", Eddie Bunker.
- The legend of Lawrence Tierney
- "Male comradery is a underrated love"
- "I find it really hard to get close to people, & I find it really hard to make long lasting friendships"
- "If you're standing there with a f*ckin' ear in your hand, what're you gonna' do?"
- Honor Among Thieves: When 'Mr. Blonde becomes redeemed
- Looking for something noble in a bad guy
- The phenomenon of "Reservoir Dogs" & the genius of Tarantino
- Reading "True Romance" & "Natural Born Killers" scripts while making "Reservoir Dogs"
- "The moment I thought 'Man, this guy's (Tarantino) totally in charge of his own destiny!"
- "I never should've done "Wyatt Earp"
- "I figured if I met with everybody then I would never get the jobs. Because I'm not a good meeter, I'm a terrible auditioner, & I'm a terrible cold reader"
- Getting Al Pacino's approval for "Donnie Brasco"
- Relentlessly calling Lee Tamahori for the James Bond gig
- Getting back in touch with Quentin before "Kill Bill"
- "I was originally asked to play 'Mr. Barrell' in "Kill Bill"
- Meeting the original 'Bill', WARREN BEATTY. And why he was replaced by David Carradine
- "Oliver Stone stabbed me in the f*cking back with "Natural Born Killers"
- "Oliver Stone is a big f*cking p*ssy!!"
- "Like I said 'Oliver Stone is a p*ssy!"
- Vincent Vega in "Pulp Fiction" or playing Doc Holiday in "Wyatt Earp"?
- "Larry Kasdan really f*cked me on "Pulp Fiction"
- On 'American Idol'
- Regrets about taking bad films?
- 'Mad Dog' reflects on his eclectic career
- "I've done some of the most horrendous shit that you've ever seen, & I've done some of the best movies in the history of motion pictures. I've had a strange career!"
- Being an actor is the most neurotic thing a person could decide to do with themselves....I'll be lucky if I don't end up in the padded cell someday. Because I'm not a trained actor!"
- Sometimes acting makes you wonder 'why am I doing this?'
- "Therapy's a bunch of shit!"
- "Why wasn't I on "The Sopranos"? I never made a picture with Scorcese! Explain that one to me?!
- How Madsen REALLY feels about mandatory therapy to get custody of children in the State of California
- "Harvey Keitel & Dennis Hopper understood what I was going through"
- "I was appointed the same therapist as Dennis by the court sysytem"
- Meeting real wiseguys with JOHNNY DEPP
- "I love JOHNNY (DEPP), but I didn't get close to him because he's into that Johnny "THING" which he's very protective about. Whatever that "THING" is"
- The incident at the Viper Room
- Al Pacino's generosity as a fellow actor
- "I smoked a lot of pot with BRAD PITT while we were shooting "Thelma & Louise"
- Mad Dog's best friends?
- "My sister, Virginia, was briefly married to DANNY HUSTON. He turned out to be kind of a punk. He's lucky I didn't choke him out!"
- "I wish Scorces will pick up the f*cking phone & call me for godsake! I think we could do a really interesting film together"
- Film & music influences
- Hank Williams biopic
- Mad Dog sings 'Are You Lonesome Tonight'
- "David Lynch, Gus Van Saint, the Coen brothers, I think they are all missing the fucking boat!"
- A western with Planet Abel Ferrara
- Mad Dog as Dino?
- Hanging out with the legendary Sergio Leone
- "Blueberry"
- Going to Steppenwolf Theater to meet broads
- Walking into the Actor's Studio in N.Y.
- Moving to L.A. & pumping gas for Warren Beatty, Jack Lemmon, Fred Astaire, & other legends
- "Even Brando said all that Method shit was all bullshit"
- On Stella Adler
- Getting busy like bunny rabbits with JENNIFER TILLY
- "Let me just Whip this thing out"
- Madsen's generosity as an actor: Flash ALEC BALDWIN
- On his wildman rep. "I'm an optimistic person, & that optimism has led to the perception of fanaticism"
- "I'm more proud of my books than any movie I've done, man"
- On drugs & alcohol. "I've done just about evrything there is out there, but I never became a slave to any substance. I was always able to see the end of the road"
- On love & marriage
- "Being a father is God's greatest blessing"
- When men were men
- Doing TV
- "I love him as much as one man could love another man without being queer"
- Vinnie Jones
- Final statement.
 

MICHAEL MADSEN is most notably recognized for his role as the sadistic killer, Mr. Blonde, in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. Although his career has leaned towards playing tough guys, partly because of his strong 6'2" stature and husky voice, Michael has been working to change that image. Most recently, he gave a remarkable performance in Strength and Honour as Sean Kelleher, a boxer who had promised his dying wife that he would never fight again. When their son becomes ill after her death, he must go back in the ring and fight in order to pay for the exorbitant cost of his son's medical treatment.
MICHAEL MADSEN's career spans over 25 years and over 170 films. He has played memorable characters in a myriad of box office hits, including Kill Bill, Sin City, Hell Ride, Die Another Day, Donnie Brasco, Species, The Getaway, The Doors, Thelma & Louise, and yes, he played the loving father in Free Willy.
Michael also is an accomplished poet. His eighth book of poetry is being released on September 25th. Click on the poetry link for more information.
Michael continues to turn in memorable performances and continues to stretch as an actor. Some believe his best work is yet to come.

- www.michaelmadsen.com