Peter Greene’s Cause of Death: The Mask Actor’s Movies and Net Worth After a Legendary Career
Peter Greene’s death has left a quiet ache across Hollywood, especially among those who watched him dominate screens in the 1990s as one of cinema’s most unsettling character actors. Jim Carrey‘s The Mask co-star star was found dead inside his Lower East Side apartment on Friday afternoon.
Greene was 60. Police said no foul play was suspected, and the official cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner. His longtime manager, Gregg Edwards, confirmed he was found unresponsive around 3:25 p.m. and pronounced dead at the scene (via NY Post):
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.
Greene had been preparing to begin filming an independent thriller titled Mascots with Mickey Rourke in January. Known for his intensity, precision, and refusal to coast, Greene carried a reputation for being demanding yet deeply committed. “He fought his demons but overcame them,” Edwards added, calling Greene’s turn as Dorian Tyrell in The Mask “arguably his best role.”
Peter Greene’s Net Worth 2025: Career and Earnings
Peter Greene in Pulp Fiction (1994) | Credit: Miramax Films
Peter Greene built a long, enduring career that prioritized challenging roles over comfort. At the time of his death, while no official figures were ever confirmed, reports estimate his net worth at roughly $1.5 million. Greene never chased celebrity packaging. He worked steadily, often slipping into supporting roles that sharpened the edges of major films.
His defining performances came early. Greene portrayed Zed in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, Dorian Tyrell in The Mask, Peter Winter in Clean, Shaven, and Redfoot in The Usual Suspects. He later appeared in Judgment Night, Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, Training Day, Blue Streak, and The Bounty Hunter, among dozens of others.
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Despite setbacks following drug-related arrests in 1998, Greene continued working. In 2012, he appeared in The Gentleman Bandit. Greene later appeared in television series such as The Black Donnellys, Justified, Chicago P.D., For Life, and The Continental. With over 90 credits across film, television, and music videos, Greene’s career was defined by persistence rather than polish.
Career highlights performance table
Greene’s work still unsettles, still demands attention, and still refuses to be ignored.
Peter Greene Controversies: Inside The Mask Actor’s Drug Case
Peter Greene in Clean, Shaven (1993) | credit: DreamWorks Pictures
Peter Greene reportedly struggled with heroin and cocaine addiction throughout the 1990s and was arrested in 2007 for possessing crack cocaine. In a 1996 interview with Premiere magazine (via TV Insider), Greene revealed he ran away from home at 15, lived on the streets of New York City, and drifted into drug use and dealing.
After attempting su*cide in March 1996, Greene sought treatment and later spoke openly about the damage addiction caused to his health and career. These struggles ran parallel to his rise. Directors continued to trust him. His performance in Clean, Shaven as a man living with schizophrenia remains one of the most disturbing portrayals of mental illness in American cinema.
By the time he appeared in For Life and The Continental, his roles were smaller, but his presence still carried weight earned over decades.
Do you think Hollywood gave Peter Greene enough space to survive, or only enough room to perform? Share your thoughts below!
The Mask is available to stream on Netflix.
