Peter Cullen, the Canadian voice actor whose deep, fatherly baritone turned Optimus Prime into a hero for four decades, died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 85.
The voice behind ‘Autobots, roll out’
Cullen’s agent confirmed the death. His family said he “passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family”, and asked fans to remember his motto: “be strong enough to be gentle.” The cause of death was not immediately disclosed.
He first voiced the honorable leader of the Autobots on the 1984 to 1987 Transformers animated series, then returned for the Michael Bay films from 2007 onward. When Optimus died in The Transformers: The Movie (1986), the outcry was so big that producers brought the character back a year later. The 2007 movie grossed $709.7 million worldwide.
Far more than Optimus Prime
Cullen was one of animation’s most recognizable voices. He played the gloomy Eeyore in dozens of Winnie the Pooh projects, created the scary clicking sounds of the monster in Predator (1987), and voiced King Kong in the 1976 remake, K.A.R.R. in Knight Rider, Monterey Jack in Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, and Mario in the original Donkey Kong cartoon.
| Character | Work |
|---|---|
| Optimus Prime | Transformers (1984 to 1987, 2007 to 2023) |
| Eeyore | Winnie the Pooh |
| Predator | Predator (1987) |
| King Kong | King Kong (1976) |
| K.A.R.R. | Knight Rider |
| Monterey Jack | Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers |
An icon of Filipino childhoods
For Filipinos who grew up in the 80s and 90s, Optimus Prime was a fixture of after-school TV, and Transformers remains one of the most beloved franchises here. Fans have even built tributes in Manila: a giant 17-foot Bumblebee statue once stood in the city.
Cullen’s passing follows the death of fellow voice icon Tim Curry earlier this week, a heavy stretch for fans of classic animation.
‘Be strong enough to be gentle’
Born in Montreal on July 28, 1941, Cullen trained at Canada’s National Theatre School and worked as an announcer before becoming a voice actor. His Optimus Prime became the moral center of the franchise, and his calm, noble delivery defined the character for generations.
The family’s final request captured the man behind the voice: “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.'”
