Michael Madsen’s official cause of death has been determined.
The Kill Bill and Reservoir Dogs actor died from cardiac arrest that was brought on by cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease and chronic alcoholism, according to a death certificate published by TMZ.
The certificate also noted the actor was dealing with thromboembolic disease, a condition where blood clots form in blood vessels and then travel to obstruct another vessel, causing a thromboembolism.
NBC4 Los Angeles reported July 8 that Madsen’s cardiologist said he died from heart failure. The outlet also reported at the time that an autopsy will not be conducted because Madsen’s cardiologist signed his death certificate, and that the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department had closed its investigation into Madsen’s death and listed his death as from natural causes.
Madsen was found dead on July 3 at age 67, after Los Angeles County deputies responded to a 911 call at his Malibu home and discovered him unresponsive. “What we understand is Michael had a cardiac arrest and was found unresponsive in his Malibu home earlier this morning,” Madsen’s manager Ron Smith said in a statement at the time.
The star’s managers and publicist issued a statement after his death. “In the last two years Michael Madsen has been doing some incredible work with independent film … and was really looking forward to this next chapter in his life,” they said. “Michael was also preparing to release a new book called Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems, currently being edited.”
They added, “Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, who will be missed by many.”
Madsen was known for roles in Quentin Tarantino films, like as Vic Vega/Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs (1992), Budd in Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) and Volume 2 (2004), “Grouch” Douglass/Joe Gaga in The Hateful Eight (2015) and Sheriff Hackett in Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood (2019).
Madsen also starred as Jimmy Lennox in Thelma & Louise (1991), Glen Greenwood in Free Willy (1993) and, perhaps most famously, Dominick “Sonny Black” Napolitano in Donnie Brasco (1997).
He was married three times: to General Hospital actress Georganne LaPiere (sister of Cher), to actress Jeannine Bisignano, and to estranged wife DeAnna, whom he married in 1996.