Peter Cullen, the iconic Optimus Prime voice, has died at the age of 85.
Cullen voiced Eeyore across dozens of Winnie the Pooh projects.
His career also included King Kong, Predator and Knight Rider.
Peter Cullen, Voice Of Optimus Prime And Eeyore, Dies At 85
The Canadian actor leaves behind a remarkable career spanning animation, film and television, including memorable work on King Kong, Predator and Knight Rider.
Summary
Peter Cullen, the Canadian voice actor whose unmistakable voice brought Optimus Prime to life in Transformers and Eeyore to life in Winnie the Pooh, has died aged 85. Cullen died at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday, his agent Kevin Motley confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. His family said he had passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones.
Peter Cullen's legacy as Optimus Prime
Cullen first voiced Optimus Prime in the original syndicated Transformers series, which ran from 1984 to 1987. He later returned to the character across films, television shows and video games, including Michael Bay’s Transformers franchise.
Speaking to NPR in 2014, Cullen recalled that his audition had initially left him puzzled. He said he had simply been told that the character was a hero and that he was a truck. The role eventually became one of the defining performances of his career.
Cullen also revealed that Optimus Prime's voice was inspired by his older brother Larry, a US Marine who served in Vietnam. His brother was remembered as having returned home changed by his experience, and Cullen said that his voice seemed to emerge naturally when he finally got the chance to play a superhero.
From Eeyore to Predator
Cullen was also the voice of Eeyore from The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and went on to portray the character in numerous projects. His other credits included King Kong, Knight Rider and Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers.
For Predator, Cullen created the creature’s distinctive clicking sounds. In a 2018 interview, he explained that seeing the creature helped him understand how to approach the performance, with its appearance reminding him of an upside-down horseshoe crab.
His work earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination for Transformers: Prime in 2011. Cullen also remained involved with the Optimus Prime Spinoff Award, which supports young people studying science and technology.
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Born in Montreal on July 28, 1941, Cullen trained at the National Theatre School of Canada before moving into radio, television and voice acting. He is survived by his children Angus, Claire, Pilar and Clay.
Cullen's family asked fans to honour his legacy through compassion and service, remembering his words: “Be strong enough to be gentle.”
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