Greene, 60, was found unresponsive in his New York City apartment on Friday afternoon and was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities later revealed that a note was located near his body bearing the words, “I’m still a Westie,” believed to reference the Irish-American Westies gang that operated in New York during the 1970s. No further details about the message have been released.
Police say there are no signs of foul play, and the official cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner.
Greene’s longtime manager, Gregg Edwards, spoke emotionally after the discovery, calling him “one of the great actors of our generation” with “an enormous heart.” He added that Greene had been preparing to undergo surgery that same day to remove a benign tumor near his lung and had expressed mild nervousness but nothing alarming. “It was a completely normal conversation,” Edwards said.
Born in Montclair, New Jersey, Greene had a difficult youth, running away from home at 15 and living on the streets of New York, where he later battled addiction. After a suicide attempt in 1996, he sought treatment and worked to reclaim his life and career.
He earned lasting recognition for playing Zed in Pulp Fiction and mob boss Dorian Tyrell in The Mask, alongside performances in Training Day, Blue Streak, and Clean, Shaven. With nearly 100 film credits, Greene was known as a perfectionist who gave everything to his roles.
He is survived by his 16-year-old son, Ryder. Fans and colleagues have flooded social media with tributes, mourning the loss of a gifted actor whose life was as complex as the characters he portrayed.
