Madeleine was born in Lampertheim, Germany to German parents. Her mother died of cancer when Madeleine was a little girl and she was subsequently raised by her aunt and uncle. She grew up primarily overseas, having lived in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. She began modeling in Korea and Japan after being scouted by an agent at the age of 15. She moved to the United States after graduating from high school and continued modeling. She had her daughter Miranda when she was 19 years old before deciding to embark on an acting career once her daughter started elementary school. She worked as a burlesque performer, and with her background in ballet, has parlayed that skill into frequently being cast as a dancer in movies, music videos, commercials and television.