Peter Greene Bio, Age, Height, Spouse, Career, Salary, Net Worth, Death

(Character-Actor Legend • Zed in “Pulp Fiction” • Dorian Tyrell in “The Mask” • 1990s Cinema Villain Icon)

With a gaunt stare that could curdle milk and a voice like gravel in a blender, Peter Greene spent three decades embodying cinema’s most unsettling villains. From the sadistic security guard Zed in Pulp Fiction to Jim Carrey’s mobster nemesis Dorian Tyrell in The Mask, Greene’s performances were equal parts magnetic and menacing—proof that sometimes the scariest monsters are the ones who look … human.

Quick Facts

Early Life & Education

Born in Montclair, NJ, Greene was the middle of three siblings. He ran away from home at 15, spending stretches homeless and in juvenile facilities before discovering acting in his mid-20s at NYC’s Lee Strasberg Studio—the same breeding ground that trained Pacino and Monroe .

Career Journey

1990-1991: NYC Indies & First Cannes Buzz

Debut in Nick Gomez’s micro-budget Laws of Gravity (1992). The vicious yet vulnerable Jimmy earned 100 % on Rotten Tomatoes and a Cannes Directors’ Fortnight slot—catapulting the unknown Greene onto Tarantino’s radar .

1993-1995: Villain Trinity

• Clean, Shaven – haunting schizophrenic Peter Winter (Greene lost 30 lb, refused to break character on set) .
• Pulp Fiction – Zed, the security-guard rapist who meets Mr. Wall-level justice.
• The Mask – Dorian Tyrell, the nightclub mobster who literally gets flushed.
  All three films released within 18 months, cementing Greene as Hollywood’s go-to psycho .

1995-2005: Blockbuster Support & Indie Grit

Redfoot the fence in The Usual Suspects, a terrorist in Under Siege 2, Deacon the thief in Blue Streak and a crooked narc in Training Day (uncredited but unforgettable) .

2006-2015: TV Grit & Comeback Attempts

Recurring roles: Dokey Farrell in The Black Donnellys, Jimmy McManus in Life on Mars, Tommy Bucks in Justified pilot . Drug-related arrests (1998-2001) sidelined bigger gigs; director Jordan Alan famously re-dubbed Greene’s lines in Gentleman Bandit after on-set heroin use .

2016-2025: Resurgence & Final Bow

• The Continental (2023) – Uncle Charlie, the John Wick-universe fixer .
• Out of Exile (2023) – Whitman Rader, a trailer-park crime boss .
• Beggarman (2025) – Vinny, a low-level hustler (final completed role) .
• Clika (2026) – Lt. Jones, currently in post-production and scheduled as a posthumous release .

Career Stats

• 100+ film & TV credits
• 2 Festival Best Actor wins (Jersey Connection, Turnabout)
• 1 Cannes premiere (Laws of Gravity)
• 1 MTV Movie Award nomination (The Mask – Best Villain)
• 4 post-humous projects in various stages (2026-2027)

Personal Life

Greene never married and had no children. He biked everywhere around Lower East Side, collected 1970s Stax-Volt vinyl, and rescued stray cats nicknamed “Zed” and “Dorian”. Friends describe him as “soft-spoken off-camera”—a gentle soul who channeled darkness for art .

Awards & Achievements

• 2020 Vancouver Web-Fest – Best Actor (Jersey Connection)
• 2018 IndieFEST – Lead Actor Award (Turnabout)
• 1993 Cannes – Directors’ Fortnight selection (Laws of Gravity)
• 1995 MTV Movie Award – Nominee Best Villain (The Mask)

Physical Statistics

Quotes

1. “I don’t play villains—I play people who believe they’re right.”
   — Esquire interview, 1995
2. “The bike doesn’t judge you; the road just asks you to keep going.”
   — New York Post, 2022
3. “If you’re afraid of the dark, don’t go into the basement—just open the door and turn on the light.”
   — On method acting, 2020 podcast

Controversies

• 1998 Drug Arrest – Heroin possession; spent 90 days in rehab, parole completed 2001 .
• 2001 Public Intoxication – Trespassing on Universal lot; charges dropped after further rehab .
• On-set Difficulty – Multiple directors (Alan, Gomez) called him a “perfectionist” who “pushed boundaries”, but never abusive .

Favorites

Salary & Net Worth 2025

At peak (1994-2000) Greene commanded $500k per studio picture; indie scale dropped to $50k–$100k in 2000s. Residuals, convention signings and final SAG day-rate gigs yielded ≈ $180k annually in later years. Estimated net worth at death: $5 million (Manhattan studio co-op, Stax-Volt vinyl collection, back-end points on Pulp Fiction & The Mask) .

Interesting Facts

• Still rode the same Schwinn he bought for $40 in 1991—chain replaced 17 times.
• Improvised the “eenie-meenie-minie-moe” chant in Pulp Fiction—Tarantino kept the first take.
• Voice dubbed in Gentleman Bandit after heroin use roughed his vocals; re-dubbed himself after rehab .
• Kept the gold Zippo used in The Mask—“Dorian’s fire” sits on his vinyl shelf.
• Post-humous autobiography “Villain’s Tale” rumored for 2026; manager holds 200 pages of notes .

Social Media Links (Inactive / Memorial)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: When did Peter Greene die?
A: December 12, 2025; found in his Lower East Side apartment .

Q2: What was Peter Greene’s cause of death?
A: Awaiting official autopsy; manager says benign lung tumor surgery was scheduled, no foul play suspected .

Q3: Was Peter Greene married?
A: Never married publicly; no children .

Q4: What was his most famous role?
A: Zed in Pulp Fiction (1994) – “Bring out the gimp” scene .

Q5: Will he appear in any more movies?
A: Yes – Clika (2026) and at least two others in post-production will be posthumous releases .

Conclusion

Peter Greene walked the razor’s edge between genius and self-destruction, gifting us villains we loved to hate and haunted heroes we couldn’t forget. His sudden passing leaves a void in gritty American cinema, but every “Zed” meme, Dorian Tyrell Halloween mask, and late-night Usual Suspects re-watch keeps the Greene glare alive.
Share this bio and stream Out of Exile—because great character actors never really leave the screen.

: Rotten Tomatoes – filmography & ratings
: IMDb – bio & 2025 projects
: Yahoo Entertainment – death & manager quotes
: Wikipedia – career, controversies, filmography
: Hollywood Life – cause of death details