Veteran voice actor Peter Cullen, best known for providing the iconic voice of Optimus Prime in Transformers and Eeyore in Disney’s Winnie the Pooh franchise, has died at the age of 85.
Cullen died at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday, surrounded by his family, according to a statement released by his family.
The Canadian-born actor first took on the role of Optimus Prime in the original Transformers television series in 1984. His deep, commanding voice became synonymous with the heroic Autobot leader.
Cullen later reprised the role in seven live-action Transformers films released between 2007 and 2023, as well as several spin-offs and other projects.
He was also widely recognised as the voice of Eeyore, the gloomy but beloved donkey from Winnie the Pooh. Cullen began voicing the character in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in the late 1980s and continued to portray Eeyore across numerous television shows, films and video games.
His extensive voice-acting career also included roles such as KARR, the villainous counterpart to KITT in Knight Rider. He also provided the distinctive clicking sounds of the Predator in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 film Predator and contributed the vocal effects for King Kong in the 1976 movie.
Cullen began his career in Canadian radio and television before appearing on programmes including The Sonny & Cher Show. He eventually shifted his focus towards voice acting.
His portrayal of Optimus Prime was partly inspired by his older brother, a decorated US Marine and Vietnam War veteran. Cullen said his brother encouraged him to portray the character as a genuine hero rather than relying on exaggerated Hollywood-style performances.
The advice influenced Cullen's now-famous delivery, particularly during Optimus Prime's more serious moments.
Cullen remained grateful to his brother throughout his career and shared a portion of his earnings from the Optimus Prime role with him until his death.
His work as Optimus Prime earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination in 2011 for outstanding performer in an animated programme. In 2023, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Children's & Family Emmy Awards.
Beyond Transformers and Winnie the Pooh, Cullen voiced Monterey Jack in Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers and appeared in numerous animated productions during the 1980s and 1990s, including Spider-Man, Donkey Kong, Alvin & the Chipmunks, Dungeons & Dragons, My Little Pony, DuckTales and Gummi Bears.
His family has asked fans to honour his legacy by showing compassion, integrity and loyalty while serving their communities.
Cullen leaves behind a decades-long legacy that helped shape some of the most recognisable voices in animation and popular culture.