Peter Greene, the distinctive character actor remembered for scene-stealing roles in films such as ‘Pulp Fiction’ and ‘The Mask’, has died. He was 60.

Greene was found dead in his Lower East Side apartment in New York City on Friday, December 12. His manager, Gregg Edwards, confirmed the death. The cause of death has not yet been disclosed.

“He was just a terrific guy," said Edwards. "Arguably one of the greatest character actors on the planet; Has worked with everybody.” 

Born in Montclair, New Jersey, Greene began his acting career with a guest appearance on NBC’s crime drama ‘Hardball’ in 1990. He made his film debut two years later in ‘Laws of Gravity’, starring alongside Edie Falco, and quickly gained attention for his intense screen presence.

Greene emerged as a breakout performer in the early 1990s, earning critical acclaim for ‘Clean, Shaven’ (1993). In 1994, he delivered two of his most recognisable performances — portraying the sadistic villain Zed in Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Pulp Fiction’ and playing antagonist Dorian Tyrell opposite Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz in ‘The Mask’.

A sought-after character actor, Greene went on to appear in a wide range of films, including ‘The Usual Suspects’ (1995), ‘Kiss & Tell’ (1997), ‘Blue Streak’ (1999) and ‘Training Day’ (2001), where he starred alongside Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke.

His television work included recurring roles in ‘The Black Donnellys’, ‘Life on Mars’ and ‘Chicago P.D.’. More recently, he appeared in the John Wick prequel series ‘The Continental’ in 2023 and in an episode of the television series ‘Dope Thief’ in 2025.

Greene was still actively working at the time of his death and was involved in two projects, including a documentary examining the federal government’s withdrawal of funding from the US Agency for International Development, according to Edwards.

“We’ve been friends for over a decade," said Edwards. "Just the nicest man.”

Greene is survived by his sister and a brother.

(With inputs from agencies)