Quentin Tarantino paid tribute to the late actor Michael Madsen by sharing a heartwarming memory of him when they worked together in Reservoir Dogs.
Last month, the veteran actor passed away at the age of 67 due to cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu, California. Since then, several tributes have poured in for him, including several of his co-stars in the films that he worked on in his career. Now, Tarantino, who worked with Madsen in several of his films, has weighed in on the passing of his friend.
How Did Quentin Tarantino Pay Tribute to Michael Madsen?
TMZ reported (via Variety) that Tarantino held a closed memorial for Madsen last Friday at the Vista Theatre. He shared a story on how the late actor supported him throughout the filming of Reservoir Dogs, which was his directorial debut.
"It was the last hour of the last day of the first week of shooting. So, I had never directed a movie before. And Lawrence Tierney was a f***ing nightmare. He was completely insane. He was so crazy, and I’d never directed before, so I’m dealing with a crazy man Monday through Saturday," he said.
"All the other actors and the crew can’t stand him. And all of a sudden, he yells at me or something, does something disrespectful. The other times, he was being disrespectful, but he didn’t quite mean it. This time, he meant it."
Tarantino ended up firing Tierney in front of the crew. However, he was concerned that his career might be over because of his decision.
"I just spent a week shooting this f***ing guy, now I just fired him. Live Entertainment is gonna fucking fire me. That’s it for my career. It was nice while it lasted. But I had to do it, I had to stand up for myself," he recalled.
This is where Madsen sent Tarantino a voice message to show his support and side with him on the firing of Tierney.
Tarantino attempted to do his best Madsen impression when he recalled the voice message. "'Yeah, Quentin, it’s Michael. Just calling to say that I really respected what you did tonight. It was important, and needed to be done. He was busting your balls, and you had to do it. And I want you to know that I respect it, as a director, I respect it as a captain, and I respect it as a man. So, I’m on your side, buddy. Thanks,'" he said.
What is Michael Madsen's Official Cause of Death?
Days after his passing, Madsen's cardiologist confirmed that the late actor's official cause of death is heart failure.
The doctor said that heart failure was listed as the cause of death, whereas heart disease and alcoholism were stated to be contributing factors to the case.
No autopsy was performed since Madsen's cardiologist signed his death certificate. As a result, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department closed the investigation into the actor's death.
There are still posthumous works from Madsen that are yet to be released such as the upcoming film Mr. Wonderful, where he plays the role of a a college professor desperately trying to prop up a failing career and steer a wayward son away from drugs and personal ruin, while coming to grips with his own mysterious father’s descent into dementia.
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