13th December 2025 – (New York) Peter Greene, the American character actor revered for his chilling turns in Pulp Fiction and The Mask, has died at the age of 60 after being found unresponsive at his New York City apartment on Friday. His manager, Gregg Edwards, confirmed the death; no cause has yet been disclosed.
Tributes poured in across social media following confirmation of his passing, with admirers recalling the New Jersey‑born performer’s indelible screen presence. One message on X read: “Rest in peace, Peter Greene. One of Hollywood’s most memorable actors.” Another remembered being “so scared of him” when watching The Mask as a child, before adding: “RIP King.”
Edwards hailed Greene as “a terrific guy” and “truly one of the great actors of our generation,” telling the New York Post that he would miss a “great friend” whose heart was “as big as there was.” He said he had informed Mascots writer‑director Kerry Mondragón of the news, noting the team was “very upset,” and added that Greene was fastidious about his craft, always intent on getting each performance “right.”
Greene was renowned for playing antagonists with unnerving authenticity, most famously Zed in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction and the ruthless mobster Dorian Tyrell opposite Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz in The Mask—a role Edwards described as arguably his finest. His filmography also included standout appearances in Training Day and a string of independent features, and he was due to begin filming an indie project, Mascots, with Mickey Rourke in January.
His path to screen success was forged through hardship. Raised in Montclair, New Jersey, Greene left home at 15 and later experienced homelessness in New York, where he began using and dealing drugs—struggles he spoke about candidly in a 1996 interview with Premier magazine. Edwards noted that Greene “fought his demons but overcame them,” reflecting on a career marked by intensity, range and a commitment to his roles that made him a compelling presence in every frame.
