Peter Greene, the villain of Pulp Fiction and The Mask

American character actor · note the “e” · 1965–2025

Peter Greene as Zed — film still from Pulp Fiction (1994, Miramax/A Band Apart)

Looking for a different Peter Green? Maybe Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green (no “e”) — or Green vs Greene. See all of them.

Peter Greene made a career of menace. Born Peter Green, he added the “e” when he joined the Screen Actors Guild — a small change that has confused searchers ever since.

After his 1990 debut in Laws of Gravity, he landed the two roles he is remembered for in a single remarkable year: Dorian Tyrell, the gangster opposite Jim Carrey in The Mask (1994), and Zed, the security guard in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction (1994). More than a hundred credits followed, including The Usual Suspects, Under Siege 2, Blue Streak and Training Day.

He was found dead in his Lower East Side apartment in New York on 12 December 2025, aged 60. In February 2026 the city medical examiner ruled the death an accident, caused by an accidental gunshot wound. He was one of the great “that guy” character actors — the face you knew without the name.

Notable work

• 
  The Maskfilm, 1994 · as Dorian Tyrell

  The mobster antagonist to Jim Carrey's manic hero — Greene's highest-profile role and the one that made him a recognisable face.

• 
  Pulp Fictionfilm, 1994 · as Zed

  A small but infamous part in Tarantino's classic; “Zed's dead, baby” entered the pop-culture lexicon.

• 
  The Usual Suspectsfilm, 1995 · as Redfoot

  A fence in the twisty neo-noir that won two Academy Awards — more evidence of his run through mid-90s crime cinema.

• 
  Training Dayfilm, 2001

  One of many later supporting turns as cops and criminals opposite Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke.

Going deeper

More: Best movies, ranked  ·  Zed in Pulp Fiction  ·  Dorian in The Mask  ·  How did he die?

FAQ

What is Peter Greene best known for?

Playing Zed in Pulp Fiction and Dorian Tyrell in The Mask, both in 1994, plus roles in The Usual Suspects and Training Day.

How did Peter Greene die?

He was found dead in his New York apartment on 12 December 2025, aged 60. In February 2026 the medical examiner ruled the death an accident, caused by an accidental gunshot wound.

Is this Peter Green the real Peter Green?

Closer than almost anyone — he really was born Peter Green, then added an “e” to join the actors' union, disqualifying himself by a single letter. The undisputed title returns to the real Peter Green.

Sources: Wikipedia  ·  Rolling Stone (cause of death)  ·  Variety