LOS ANGELES — Peter Cullen, the legendary voice actor best known for bringing Optimus Prime to life in the Transformers franchise and voicing Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh, has died. He was 85.
Cullen died Wednesday, Aug. 26, at his home in Los Angeles. His agent, Kevin Motley, confirmed his death Thursday. A cause of death has not been publicly released.
Cullen’s family said he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones and asked fans to honor his legacy by serving their communities and leading others with compassion, integrity and loyalty.
For millions of fans, Cullen’s voice is inseparable from Optimus Prime, the heroic leader of the Autobots.
He first took on the role in the original Transformers animated television series in the 1980s. His deep and commanding delivery helped turn Optimus Prime into one of the most recognizable characters in animation.
Decades later, Cullen returned to the role when Transformers made the jump to live-action movies, beginning with the 2007 film. He continued portraying Optimus Prime across numerous films, television programs and other projects.
Cullen previously explained that the voice and personality he developed for Optimus Prime were inspired in part by his older brother Larry, a Marine Corps veteran. His brother encouraged him to portray a true leader as someone who could be strong without sacrificing compassion.
That philosophy became closely associated with Cullen throughout his career: “Be strong enough to be gentle.”
Cullen was also known to generations of Disney fans as the voice of Eeyore, the gloomy but lovable donkey from Winnie the Pooh. He began voicing Eeyore in the late 1980s and continued portraying the character across numerous projects.
His extensive voice-acting career went far beyond those two signature roles. Cullen provided vocal work for the 1987 film Predator and appeared in projects connected to Knight Rider, Chip ’n Dale Rescue Rangers, Voltron, Pac-Man, G.I. Joe, The Smurfs and numerous other animated productions.
Born July 28, 1941, in Montreal, Quebec, Cullen built a career spanning decades and became one of the most recognizable voices in entertainment.
His portrayal of Optimus Prime in particular crossed generations, introducing the character to children watching the original animated series and later to a new audience through the blockbuster live-action films.
Cullen leaves behind a legacy that stretches across animation, television and film — and a voice that became instantly recognizable to millions around the world.
