Peter Greene, a familiar face to moviegoers for his intense portrayals of volatile and often menacing characters, has died at the age of 60. The actor, best known for memorable roles in films such as “Pulp Fiction” and “The Mask,” was found dead on Friday, December 12, in his Manhattan apartment. His passing was confirmed by his manager, Gregg Edwards, with Deadline reporting the news. While no cause of death has been disclosed, Greene leaves behind a body of work that made him a standout presence in some of the most distinctive films of the 1990s—an on-screen journey worth revisiting in full.
Peter Greene, the Relentless Face of ’90s Movie Villainy
Peter Greene carved out a singular place in American cinema as a character actor who brought unsettling intensity to some of the most memorable films of the 1990s. Audiences may not have always known his name, but they remembered his face—and the danger it seemed to carry. From the snarling bravado of Dorian Tyrell in “The Mask” to his deeply disturbing turn as Zed in Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” Greene specialized in characters who lingered long after the credits rolled.
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His rise was anything but conventional. Born in Montclair, New Jersey, Greene ran away from home as a teenager and spent years homeless before discovering acting in his mid-20s. That late start did little to slow his momentum. By the early ’90s, he was appearing in striking indie projects like “Laws of Gravity” and “Clean, Shaven,” the latter showcasing a raw, fearless performance that hinted at far greater depths than the typical “heavy” roles he would later become known for.
Hollywood soon took notice. Greene stacked up credits in major studio releases and cult favorites alike, including “Judgment Night,” “Under Siege 2: Dark Territory,” “The Usual Suspects,” “Blue Streak,” and “Training Day,” often playing criminals, corrupt cops, or volatile enforcers. Even when his characters occupied limited screen time, Greene had a way of dominating scenes through sheer presence. Television roles followed, from “The Black Donnellys” to “Life on Mars” and later appearances in “For Life” and “The Continental,” proving his ability to adapt across eras and formats.
Behind the scenes, Greene’s life was marked by personal struggles, including long battles with addiction that disrupted his career but never fully extinguished it. He continued working steadily, returning again and again to the kinds of hard-edged roles that mirrored his own turbulent path. Found dead yesterday, Greene leaves behind a body of work that stands as a testament to the power of character acting.
