LOS ANGELES, Aug 28 — Peter Cullen, the Canadian actor whose commanding voice brought Transformers hero Optimus Prime to life across film, television and video games, has reportedly died aged 85.
The Hollywood Reporter reported that Cullen died at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday, citing his agent Kevin Motley.
His family said he died peacefully with loved ones by his side and encouraged fans to honour his legacy through compassion, integrity, loyalty and service to their communities.
Cullen first played Autobot leader Optimus Prime in the animated series The Transformers, which ran from 1984 to 1987.
He said the character’s voice was inspired by his older brother Larry, a decorated US Marine whom he regarded as a hero after his return from the Vietnam War.
The killing of Optimus in the 1986 animated film The Transformers: The Movie provoked such a strong response from audiences that Cullen and the character were brought back the following year.
After two decades away from the role, he returned for Michael Bay’s live-action Transformers in 2007 and subsequently voiced Optimus in six more films, most recently Rise of the Beasts in 2023.
Cullen was also widely recognised as the melancholic Eeyore, beginning with The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in 1988 and continuing across numerous Disney productions.
His other credits included voicing the title character in the 1976 remake of King Kong and K.A.R.R. in Knight Rider, while he created the Predator creature’s distinctive clicking sound for the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film.
His performance in the first season of Transformers: Prime earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination.
