Quentin Tarantino has paid tribute to the late actor Michael Madsen, recalling a pivotal moment from the set of 'Reservoir Dogs' that earned him Madsen's respect. The filmmaker hosted a private memorial for Madsen at his Vista Theatre in Los Angeles on Friday, a month after the actor's death at age 67 from heart failure.
During the event, Tarantino recounted firing co-star Lawrence Tierney during the first week of shooting on his directorial debut. 'Lawrence Tierney was a f—ing nightmare. He was completely insane,' Tarantino said, as reported by TMZ. 'All the other actors and the crew can't stand him. And all of a sudden, he yells at me, does something disrespectful.' Tarantino fired Tierney at the breakfast table, prompting applause from the crew.
Tarantino admitted he feared the decision would end his career, but Madsen left a supportive message on his answering machine that night. 'He said, “Yea, Quentin, it’s Michael. Just calling to say that I really respected what you did tonight. It was important, and needed to be done. … So, I’m on your side, buddy. Thanks,”' Tarantino recalled.
Madsen played Vic Vega/Mr. Blonde in 'Reservoir Dogs' (1992), the first of several collaborations with Tarantino, including 'Kill Bill: Vol 1' and 'Vol 2', 'Sin City', 'The Hateful Eight', and 'Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood'.
