Update, Aug. 27, 6 p.m. ET: Michael Madsen, the actor known for his work in Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill Vol. 2, will no longer face domestic violence charges after a recent incident with his wife DeAnna Morgan, according to TMZ. The Los Angeles district attorney’s office said there was insufficient evidence for them to pursue the case. Madsen’s representative, who was not named, celebrated the decision in a statement to the Fox Corporation-owned outlet.
“We are thrilled that Michael Madsen is able to put this behind him and look forward to our continued collaboration with more great things coming from this veteran and respected actor,” the statement read.
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Before the DA’s decision was official, Madsen’s lawyer, Perry Wander, shared the actor’s side of the dispute in an interview with The Los Angeles Times.
“She broke into his house and he confronted her and asked her to leave. This has been an ongoing problem,” Wander claimed. “Michael has shown immense compassion and restraint during this period towards his estranged wife. He’s definitely not guilty of domestic violence.”
Wander went on to claim Morgan had communicated her intentions to not pursue the charges on her end. Morgan herself issued a statement to The Hollywood Reporter that read, “Michael is struggling with his own personal issues. Myself and our children have been supporting him to the best of our ability. We would request privacy at this time.”
Original Story, Aug. 19, 6:30 p.m. ET: Actor Michael Madsen was arrested on Saturday, according to a TMZ report. The actor, best known for roles in several Quentin Tarantino movies, was taken into custody after an alleged altercation with a woman the publication identified as his wife. RadarOnline confirmed that Madsen is still married to DeAnna Morgan, his wife since 1996.
The victim accused Madsen of physically shoving her out of their home in Los Angeles and subsequently locking her outside. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies were soon called to the scene, jailed the Reservoir Dogs star and charged him with a misdemeanor for domestic violence.
TMZ’s report does not include any discussion of physical injuries to the victim, only that she did not seek immediate medical attention after the incident.
Madsen’s representatives tried to downplay the incident as a “disagreement, telling the Fox Corporation-owned media outlet: “It was a disagreement between Michael and his wife, which we hope resolves positively for them both.”
Police eventually released the 66-year-old Donnie Brasco star after he posted a $20,000 bail. He has not personally addressed the situation as of press time.
Madsen’s work with Tarantino has stretched from the director’s first movie, Reservoir Dogs, to his latest, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. He has prominent roles in Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill Vol. 2 and The Hateful Eight, and a very small appearance in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. Madsen is at the center of one of the most iconic movie scenes of the ’90s, in which his Reservoir Dogs character, Mr. Blonde, dances and mutilates a cop (Kirk Baltz) while listening to “Stuck in the Middle With You” by Stealers Wheel.
He also appears in the movies Free Willy, The Natural, Wyatt Earp, Sin City, Die Another Day, Scary Movie 4 and the aforementioned Donnie Brasco. He’s also contributed vocal work to the video games Grand Theft Auto III, Yakuza, Dishonored, Driver 3, True Crime: Streets of LA and The Walking Dead: Season Two.
Madsen, who is the brother of actress Virginia Madsen, has had several run-ins with the law in recent years, facing accusations of DUI and trespassing.
