Michael Madsen faced personal struggles, financial pressure, and had a hopeful intention to seek help in his final days, according to a source who had been in recent contact with the actor.
The 67-year-old Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill star was found unresponsive at his Malibu home on Thursday morning and was later pronounced dead. His manager confirmed he died from cardiac arrest, with no foul play suspected.
An insider who had worked with Madsen in recent months revealed to The U.S. Sun that the actor had reached out just weeks before his death.
“He called me on June 10 and said, ‘I’m getting evicted from my house,’ and he was asking me for $10,000 to help him out,” the source shared.
In another conversation, Madsen reportedly spoke about his decision to enter rehab.
“He told me ‘I’m going to rehab,’ and all this kind of stuff,” the insider said. “He really opened up to me. It was clear he had a lot going on in his life that was difficult for him to navigate.”
The source described Madsen as being in a visibly difficult state toward the end.
“He was in bad shape, man. You could tell he was drinking and he was all messed up.” They also noted that Madsen was trying to sell old cars to raise money during his last months.
Despite his struggles, there was still a sense that the actor wanted to turn things around. His final conversations reflected a man who was aware of his challenges and was expressing a desire to change.
Madsen’s passing has left many remembering not just his iconic film roles, but also the personal battles he faced behind the scenes.
