Peter Cullen, the Canadian voice actor best known as Optimus Prime in Transformers and Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh, has died at 85.
Cullen was born July 28, 1941, in Montreal and became one of animation’s most recognizable performers. His family said he died peacefully and asked fans to honor his legacy through compassion, integrity, loyalty and service to their communities.
His defining role arrived in 1984 when he was cast as Optimus Prime, the honorable leader of the Autobots.
Cullen said he drew inspiration from his older brother Larry, a US Marine and Vietnam veteran, when developing the character’s commanding but compassionate voice.
Optimus Prime’s death in The Transformers: The Movie in 1986 triggered an unexpected backlash from audiences.
Cullen subsequently returned as the character and later reprised the role for Michael Bay’s live-action Transformers franchise, beginning with the 2007 film starring Shia LaBeouf.
He continued as Optimus in Revenge of the Fallen, Dark of the Moon, Age of Extinction, The Last Knight, Bumblebee and Rise of the Beasts.
The films collectively demonstrated the character’s enduring place in the franchise, with several installments surpassing $800 million worldwide.
Cullen’s range extended far beyond giant robots. He became the voice of Eeyore in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and continued playing the gloomy donkey in later productions.
He also voiced Monterey Jack in Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, characters in Voltron, and K.A.R.R. in Knight Rider.
For Predator (1987), Cullen created the creature’s distinctive clicking and bubbling vocal effects after being shown the monster’s design.
Earlier in his career, he worked as an announcer and live-action performer on comedy programs including The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.
Cullen’s family described him as having passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones. They encouraged admirers to remember his example: “be strong enough to be gentle.”
