By Jennifer Asencio
| Published 46 seconds ago
People may not have known Peter Greene by name, but he was a recognizable face from a variety of movies. Best known as the sadistic security guard Zed from Pulp Fiction, the actor was found dead in his apartment on December 12. He was 60.
Greene got his start in movies in 1992 with Laws of Gravity opposite Edie Falco, but 1994 was his best year. He played both the iconic Zed and villain Dorian Tyrell in The Mask, the cartoonish romp starring Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz. Both these films made him famous and ensured that many film and television roles followed.
Peter Greene in Pulp Fiction
He also appeared in The Usual Suspects and Training Day, racking up 103 acting roles over his career. He also starred in an episode of the John Wick series, The Continental, in 2023. He was working on two projects when he died: one a thriller called Mascots that co-starred Mickey Rourke, and the other a documentary about the dissolution of USAID.
He grew up in New Jersey but ran away to New York as a teen. A tumultuous young adulthood was smoothed by his discovery of acting; his first credited role was in the short-lived series Hardball in 1990.
Peter Greene in The Mask
Greene’s manager, Gregg Edwards, confirmed the death to the public after a wellness check was made on the actor. Starting approximately midday on Wednesday, continuous and loud Christmas music began playing from Greene’s apartment. A neighbor claims that Greene’s body was found in a bloody room with a note that said, “I’m still a Westie,” a reference to a New York City gang. No cause of death has been determined, but the police do not suspect foul play.
Other neighbors who spoke to the press say that Greene was the type of person who would help people with their groceries. Edwards eulogized, “He was just a terrific guy.”