Michael Madsen is most notably recognized for his role as the sadistic killer, Mr. Blonde, in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. His career spans over twenty-five 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. He is also featured in Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. Madsen is also an accomplished poet and has an international following, his first book, Burning In Paradise, won the Independent Firecracker Award in 1998 and was recently translated in Norwegian in 2008. He has been recognized worldwide as a poet and invited to the International Poetry Festival in Genoa, Italy, and Mexico to be honored for his Bukowski style poetry. The Complete Poetic Works of Michael Madsen, Vol. I 1995–2005 is the only authorized book of Madsen's poetry dating up to 2005, and Signs of Life, dedicated to Chris Penn was Madsen's first ever book of photography.
