Peter Greene Dead: ‘Pulp Fiction’ & ‘The Mask’ Star Was 60

Peter Greene, Pulp Fiction
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What To Know

  • Peter Greene, acclaimed for his roles in Pulp Fiction and The Mask, is dead at 60.
  • Greene was recognized for his memorable portrayals of villains.
  • Fans and colleagues paid tribute to Greene on social media, praising his talent as a character actor and his impact on independent film and Hollywood.

Peter Greene, the actor best known for starring in Pulp Fiction and The Mask, is dead at 60.

On Friday, December 12, Greene was found dead in his Manhattan apartment, his manager, Gregg Edward, confirmed to the New York Daily News. Neighbors reportedly called police after hearing Christmas music playing in his apartment for days. His cause of death is unknown, as of writing. No foul play is suspected.

According to Edward, Greene had a surgery scheduled to remove a benign tumor near his lungs, but was otherwise healthy.

“It’s a shock,” his manager said. “He wasn’t that old. In pretty good shape for his age, rode his bike everywhere around New York. He’d had some health issues throughout the last couple years, had always fought through and was very strong.”

In addition to playing Zed in Pulp Fiction (1994) and Dorian Tyrell in the Jim-Carrey-led film The Mask (also 1994), Greene was known for Clean, Shaven (1993) and The Bounty Hunter (2010).

“Nobody played a bad guy better than Peter,” Edwards told NBC News. “But he also had, you know, a gentle side that most people never saw, and a heart as big as gold.”

Greene had two upcoming projects: Mascots with Mickey Rourke and a documentary, which he was narrating, called From the American People: The Withdrawal of USAID.

“He was a unique individual,” Edward told the New York Post. “One of the most brilliant character actors on the planet. Had a really good heart. Cared about people.”

In the wake of Greene’s death, fans took to social media to share tributes, with one X user writing, “Any time Peter Greene popped up, you just knew he was gonna play the scuzziest villain. Such a memorable character actor. RIP.”


Another X user shared, “RIP Peter Greene, a wonderful actor who among other things starred in one of the most important low budget independent films ever made, LAWS OF GRAVITY. If you’ve never seen it, do yourself a favor and do so. It inspired many of your favorite filmmakers to make their own movie.”

Someone else echoed via X, “RIP Peter Greene. He totally stole every scene in The Mask.”

Meanwhile, yet another fan wrote on X, “Rest in Peace Peter Greene. One of Hollywood’s most memorable actors.”