Peter Cullen, the Canadian voice actor best known for playing Optimus Prime in the Transformers franchise and Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh, has died at the age of 85.
Cullen died on Wednesday, at his home in Los Angeles, his agent, Kevin Motley, confirmed. His cause of death has not been disclosed.
Cullen first voiced Optimus Prime in the original Transformers animated television series in 1984. His deep, authoritative voice became synonymous with the leader of the Autobots, a role he continued to perform across subsequent animated projects, video games and Hollywood films.
He reprised the character in the live-action Transformers film series beginning with the 2007 movie and most recently voiced Optimus Prime in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts in 2023.
Beyond Transformers, Cullen was widely recognised as the voice of Eeyore, the gloomy but beloved donkey in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. He played the character from the late 1980s and continued to voice Eeyore in various subsequent television programmes, films and games.
His other notable credits included KARR, the villainous counterpart to KITT in Knight Rider, as well as the distinctive vocal effects of the Predator in the 1987 science-fiction film Predator. He also provided the roars for King Kong in the 1976 remake of the classic film.
Cullen’s portrayal of Optimus Prime was partly inspired by his older brother, Larry Cullen, a US Marine and Vietnam War veteran.
Recalling his brother’s advice during his audition for the role, Cullen said he was told to portray Optimus Prime as “a real hero, don’t be a Hollywood hero”.
“He said, ‘Don’t go yelling and screaming. He’s strong enough to be gentle,'” Cullen recalled.
He said the advice stayed with him during the audition and helped shape the voice and personality that would eventually define Optimus Prime.
Cullen reportedly continued to share a portion of his earnings from the role with his brother until Larry’s death.
Career Spanning Decades
Born in Montreal, Quebec, in 1941, Cullen began his career in Canadian radio and television before becoming one of the industry’s most recognisable voice actors.
He worked on programmes including The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and later built an extensive voice-acting career across animation, television and film.
His credits included Monterey Jack in Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, as well as roles in animated series such as Spider-Man, Donkey Kong, Alvin & the Chipmunks, Dungeons & Dragons, My Little Pony, DuckTales and Gummi Bears.
Cullen’s contribution to animation was recognised with a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Programme in 2011. In 2023, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Children’s and Family Emmy Awards.
Following his death, Cullen’s family described his passing as peaceful and said he was surrounded by loved ones.
In a statement, the family asked fans to honour his legacy through service and compassion, urging them to “serve your communities and lead others with compassion, integrity, and loyalty”.
The statement concluded with a phrase that echoed the quality Cullen brought to one of his most iconic characters: “be strong enough to be gentle.”
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