Peter Greene, a prolific character actor known for bringing unsettling intensity to villainous roles, has died at age 60. Greene was found deceased in his New York City apartment Friday, according to his agent, marking the loss of a performer who frequently enough elevated genre films with his memorable presence. From his breakout roles in 1994’s Pulp Fiction and The Mask, Greene cultivated a career spanning decades, frequently portraying complex and menacing figures on screen.
Actor Known for Villainous Roles Dies at 60
Peter Greene, the American actor celebrated for his memorable portrayals of villains in films like Pulp Fiction and The Mask, has died at the age of 60.
Greene was found dead in his New York apartment on Friday, his agent confirmed. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
Throughout his two-decade career, Greene earned a reputation for bringing a chilling intensity to a variety of villainous and criminal characters. “Nobody played a bad guy better than Peter,” said manager Gregg Edwards. “But he also had a gentle side that most people never saw, and a heart of gold.”
He became widely known for his role as Zed, a sadistic and violent security guard in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film Pulp Fiction. In a 2011 interview, Greene revealed he initially turned down the part due to its graphic content, specifically a scene involving Zed instructing a masked accomplice to assault Butch, played by Bruce Willis, while Marcellus Wallace, portrayed by Ving Rhames, looks on.
“When I first got the script, I was completely turned off,” the actor said. “The way it was written didn’t sit well with me. If you’ve ever seen ‘Deliverance,’ you’ve seen the guy who did Ned Beatty and made him ‘squeal like a pig,’ so I didn’t think it was a good look for my career.”
Ultimately, however, he changed his mind.
That same year, Greene appeared in The Mask, starring Jim Carrey, where he played the antagonist Dorian Tyrell. The film cemented his status as a go-to actor for complex and menacing roles.
Greene is also remembered for his supporting roles in films like Training Day, alongside Denzel Washington, and The Usual Suspects. His work in character roles often brought a unique edge to the films he appeared in.
Beyond his supporting work, Greene starred in Lodge Kerrigan’s 1993 film Clean, Shaven, where he delivered a critically acclaimed performance as a man with schizophrenia suspected of murder.
