‘Pulp Fiction’ Actor Peter Greene Dies in Accidental Shooting
Peter Greene, the character actor best known for his villainous roles in films like “Pulp Fiction” and “The Mask,” died December 12, 2025, from an accidental gunshot wound, according to the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
The 60-year-old actor was found dead in his apartment in New York City’s Lower East Side. Police did not suspect foul play.
The Medical Examiner’s office determined Greene’s death was an accident, caused by “a gunshot wound of left axilla with injury of brachial artery.” This means he sustained a gunshot wound to his left underarm, damaging the major artery that runs from the shoulder to the elbow.
Neighbors had reported hearing Christmas music playing continuously for several days from Greene’s apartment, prompting a wellness check by the landlord and police, Deadline reported.
Greene had a history of addiction and a previous suicide attempt in the 1990s, according to the New York Post. He was also scheduled to undergo a procedure to remove a benign tumor near his lung on the day he was found. His manager, Gregg Edwards, stated he had spoken with Greene two days prior and the actor “sounded OK.”
“It was just a totally normal conversation. He was a little nervous about the operation going in, but he said it wasn’t super serious,” Edwards told the Post in December. “He was talking about that and hoping that I was going to be OK and wishing me well as I was wishing him well. We’re good friends. I love the guy.”
Greene rose to prominence playing Zed, the sadistic security guard who tortures characters in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film “Pulp Fiction.” He also played the antagonist Dorian Tyrell opposite Jim Carrey in the same year’s hit comedy, “The Mask.”
His career spanned nearly three decades, encompassing almost 100 film and television credits, according to IMDb. He appeared in episodes of shows like “Chicago P.D.,” “Hawaii Five-0,” “Law & Order,” and “Justified.”
Greene’s acting debut came in the early 1990s, and he landed a lead role in the 1992 film “Laws of Gravity.” A 1995 review in the Los Angeles Times described the film as “independent American filmmaking at its best,” and characterized Greene’s character, Jimmy, as “a small-time street outlaw.”
Born October 8, 1965, in Montclair, New Jersey, Greene studied Method acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York City. He told TV Insider that he ran away from home at age 15, living on the streets and supporting himself through drug use and dealing, often finding refuge in theaters where he developed his passion for acting. His early success on screen coincided with his struggles with addiction.
Following a 1996 suicide attempt, Greene sought treatment for addiction and achieved sobriety.
