By Harshit
NEW YORK, DECEMBER 13, 2025
Peter Greene, the actor whose chilling performances in Pulp Fiction, The Mask, and numerous 1990s crime dramas made him one of the decade’s most recognizable villains, has died at the age of 60.
Greene was found unresponsive in his New York apartment on Friday, December 12. His manager confirmed the news, adding that police do not suspect foul play. The cause of death has not yet been determined.
Known for his piercing intensity, gravel-edged voice, and unsettling screen presence, Greene crafted some of the most unforgettable antagonists of the era — characters that remain fixtures in pop culture lore more than three decades later.
A Career Defined by Memorable Villains
Greene’s most iconic role came in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 classic Pulp Fiction, where he portrayed Zed, the sadistic security guard who brutalizes Marcellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) and captures Butch (Bruce Willis) in one of the film’s most disturbing sequences. The performance cemented Greene’s reputation as an actor capable of embodying darkness with striking realism.
That same year, Greene delivered another career-defining performance as Dorian Tyrell, the ruthless mobster in The Mask opposite Jim Carrey. His transformation into the monstrous, neon-green villain remains one of the film’s most enduring images.
But Greene was far more than a Hollywood heavy. Earlier roles had already earned him critical recognition, including his award-winning performance in Lodge Kerrigan’s 1993 psychological drama Clean, Shaven. In that film, Greene portrayed a man with schizophrenia searching for his daughter while suspected of murder — a haunting, nuanced portrayal that won him the Best Actor award at the 1994 Taormina International Film Festival.
Tributes Highlight a “Gentle Side” Behind the Intensity
Greene’s manager, Gregg Edwards, remembered him as both a gifted performer and a warm friend.
“He was a terrific guy,” Edwards said. “Truly one of the great actors of our generation. His heart was as big as there was. I’m going to miss him. He was a great friend.”
Edwards noted that while Greene was famous for playing terrifying villains, few people knew the gentle, kind-hearted side of the actor. “Nobody played a bad guy better than Peter,” he said. “But he also had a gentle side that most people never saw, and a heart as big as gold.”
A Filmography Spanning Decades
Across approximately 95 acting credits, Greene built a versatile and enduring résumé. His work often blended indie grit with mainstream crime drama, including:
- Training Day (2001), opposite Denzel Washington
- Judgement Night (1993)
- The Usual Suspects (1995)
- Laws of Gravity (1992)
- Blue Streak (1999), alongside Martin Lawrence
- Life on Mars (U.S. television adaptation, 2008–2009)
His characters were often morally ambiguous, tormented, or outright sinister — roles he elevated through a naturalistic acting style that felt grounded and unpredictable.
Greene was born in Montclair, New Jersey, and leaves behind a sister and a brother.
At the time of his death, he was preparing to begin production in January on Mascots, an independent thriller in which he was set to star alongside Mickey Rourke. His manager said Greene had been looking forward to returning to work.
A Legacy of Fearlessness and Complexity
Though Greene’s name may not have been as widely known as those of the stars he acted beside, his presence on screen left an unmistakable mark. Audiences and filmmakers alike admired his willingness to embrace difficult, unsettling roles — and to bring humanity to characters who could easily have become caricatures.
For a generation of moviegoers, Peter Greene’s villains were unforgettable. For those who knew him, he was something even rarer: a powerful actor with a generous heart.