He might not have been able to be the headliner of a movie, but it always seemed like he could have been a solid second or third billed while being a headliner in an action or crime movie. He had a real tough guy charisma about him that harkened back to old Hollywood. He also had a good couple year run with Thelma and Louise in 91, Reservoir Dogs in 92, Free Willy in 93, Wyatt Earp in 94 and Species in 95. After Species though, he didn't really have a major theatrical role again until Species 2 in 98, and after that he all but disappeared. He did do a lot of DTV stuff in between big films which might have killed him in the eyes of the big studios. Also losing a role in Pulp Fiction and The Vega Brothers movie never being made didn't help.

I think the exact same thread could be made about Tom Sizemore.

Madsen is still rich and lives in Malibu.

Pulp Fiction would have been such a different movie had Madsen played Vega. Although low-key, Travolta plays the role comically, something I can't picture Madsen doing. With that key element of charm gone from the picture, would it still have been the phenomena it was?

So true. Just go to his IMDb page and see how many crappy roles he's taking. Last I checked, something around 20 movies either in production or post.

Tom Sizemore did that to himself though.

Not saying he didn't.

What happened to his voice? In Reservoir Dogs, it sounded normal. Just over 10 years later in Kill Bill, it sounded like he gargled glass. Not that it sounds bad, but I'm surprised his voice got so gravely over a relative short time. Too many cigarettes?

After Reservoir Dogs, I always thought Tim Roth would become a bigger star. There are alot of talented actors in Hollywood who never become stars for one reason or another, probably cause they don't have that 'it' factor. I can think of many less-talented people that have the 'it' factor like Julia Roberts, Ben Affleck, George Clooney, but really never deserved their 'A' status in movies.

No personal bias in that response at all...

Michael Madsen could have been a bigger star if he was born about 15-20 years earlier, he was made for the 70's.

He was awesome in Kill Bill

Of course he can be a bigger star, he just needs to gain about 50 more lbs. Acting wise, I never thought he was A level really. He's never had a presence like other A level actors do. Or maybe it's the roles he's chosen. Maybe he should blame that on his agent.

They're not the same person?

Okay that's not fair. Madsen has a hot ass sister so that puts him a step above.

Over the last 15 or 20 years Sizemore and Madsen have really started to age differently (not surprising Sizemore has aged worse) but back in the early to mid 90s they had a very similar look, acting style, and career trajectory which made it damn near impossible for me to tell them apart.

Don't forget Donnie Brasco, probably his best (along with a certain other star).

Agree. The 70s and earlier. He is a Robert Mitchum type, which you don't see too many of. I wonder if Robert Mitchum would have been a star if his career started in the 80s or early 90s. Madsen had a TV series "Vengeance Unlimited" back in 1998 where played an Equalizer-type character. He was great in it and I liked it a lot, but it was on up against "Friends" at the height of its popularity so it never stood a chance.

Yes, I remember it fondly. Too bad it didn't last. FWIW, Sizemore had a good show too (Robbery Homicide Division created by Michael Mann). Was also pretty damn good. Both never were lead actor types, but fell comfortably into character, supporting roles.