Peter Greene, the actor whose piercing gaze and intense presence made him a standout villain in 1990s cinema, has died at age 60. He was found in his New York City apartment on December 12th. Police do not suspect foul play, and an official cause of death is pending. Greene carved a niche playing intimidating characters, most notably as the slick, ambitious mobster Dorian Tyrell in the hit film The Mask, starring Jim Carrey, and as the sadistic Zed in Quentin Tarantino’s classic Pulp Fiction, both released in 1994.
His manager of ten years, Gregg Edwards, remembered Greene as a talented actor with a gentle side. “He was a terrific guy… Truly one of the great actors of our generation,” Edwards said. “Nobody played a bad guy better than Peter. But he also had, you know, a gentle side that most people never saw, and a heart as big as gold.” Edwards noted that Greene had recently been cast in an independent thriller with Mickey Rourke, with production set to begin in January.
Despite his success in playing menacing roles, Greene was initially hesitant about the part of Zed in Pulp Fiction due to its graphic nature. In a past interview, he revealed that director Quentin Tarantino convinced him to take the role and allowed him to adjust the scene to feel more comfortable. Beyond his iconic 1994 roles, Greene’s career included performances in films like Judgment Night, The Usual Suspects, and The Rich Man’s Wife. News of his passing prompted an outpouring of tributes from fans online, who remembered him as a uniquely memorable character actor who stole every scene he was in.
