Pulp Fiction star Pete Greene has been found dead in his New York City apartment aged just 60. The actor – also known for his villainous role in The Mask – was found dead on Friday afternoon, his longtime manager Gregg Edwards said.
Edwards said in tribute: “He was a terrific guy. Truly one of the great actors of our generation. His heart was as big as there was. I’m going to miss him. He was a great friend.”
No foul play is suspected and the cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner, police said.
Greene built a reputation in the 1990s as one of Hollywood’s most memorable screen villains. He played sadistic security guard Zed in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 hit Pulp Fiction, and ruthless mobster Dorian Tyrell opposite Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz in The Mask.
Edwards told the New York Post: “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.”
Greene, who hailed from Montclair, New Jersey, ran away from home at 15 and lived on the streets of the Big Apple, where he turned to drug use and eventually dealing, he told Premier magazine in 1996. After attempting suicide in March that year, he sought treatment for his addictions, he said at the time.
Greene had around 95 film credits to his name and starred in “Laws of Gravity,” “Clean, Shaven,” “Blue Streak,” and “Training Day.” And while Greene had a reputation for being difficult on set, his manager said it stemmed from high standards.
Edwards said he was “a perfectionist who gave every job his all and wanted his performance to be just right”. He added: “He worked with so many amazing actors and directors. He fought his demons but overcame them.”
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