Iconic Voice of Optimus Prime, Peter Cullen, Dies at 85
Overview & Key Takeaways
Peter Cullen, the longtime voice of Optimus Prime, has died at age 85, his agent has confirmed.
Peter Cullen, the voice actor who is best known for his role as Autobot leader Optimus Prime in the Transformers cartoon series, video games, and live-action movies, has died at age 85. Cullen is also well known as the longtime voice of Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh cartoons and is one of the most prominent voice actors to have worked in kids cartoons.
TMZ was first to report the news of Cullen's death.
"Peter Cullen passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family — and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide," a statement shared with TMZ reads. "His family asks that you honor his remarkable legacy by serving your communities and leading others with compassion, integrity, and loyalty and always remember 'be strong enough to be gentle.'"
Cullen first voiced Optimus Prime in 1984, with the original animated series based on the Transformers toyline. He reprised the role across multiple animated projects, video games, and the live-action movie series, initially helmed by Michael Bay and later by Travis Knight (Bumblebee) and Steven Caple Jr. (Rise of the Beasts). Cullen's acting credits go well beyond Transformers, though; he was a prominent voice actor in the 1980s and 1990s, lending his voice to characters such as Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh cartoons, Nintendo's Mario in the original Donkey Kong animated series, and the Predator in Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1987 sci-fi action classic of the same name.
Cullen was a staple of after-school and Saturday morning cartoon fare. His credits also include Voltron: Defender of the Universe, Dungeons & Dragons, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers, and early Spider-Man cartoons. More recently, Cullen voiced Thaedus in the animated series Invincible.
