Michael Madsen:
Poker Celebrity

Poker Celebrity Michael Madsen is the heir to all the Hollywood tough guys, like Robert Mitchum, Marlon Brando, Lee Marvin, Steve McQueen, whose very presence says this is a guy you don't want to cross, but you'd love to have him on your side. This poker celebrity is played vicious snakes like Vic Vega a.k.a. Mr. Blonde in Quentin Tarantino's breakthrough film Reservoir Dogs or Budd, a.k.a. Sidewinder, in Tarantino's latest Kill Bill, Volume 2.

Yet Michael Madsen is equally known for a softer side, playing the father in Free Willy, and is the author of three books of poetry. In the upcoming ESPN original television series Tilt, Madsen is Don "The Matador" Everest, a poker champion.

Before acting Michael Madsen was an auto mechanic, landscaper, hospital orderly and about 15 other job titles. Like his sister Virginia, who is currently nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe Award for her outstanding performance in Sideways, poker celebrity Michael Madsen worked his way through a series of memorable performances, in films such as Donnie Brasco and the television movie 44 Minutes: Shootout in North Hollywood .

Michael Madsen likes to work a lot, but really didn't want to get locked into a television series that would be 22 or 25 episodes. He feels that the part for Tilt is a good script and it's only nine episodes a year. That frees him up for the rest of the year to make pictures which is primarily what he's still interested in.

This poker celebrity also narrates a show about animal cops. He's a big animal lover and has a lot of pets in his house and also loves New York City so much that he thought it was a great opportunity to narrate a show that takes place in New York and is all about animals. He gets a big kick out of it.