Peter Cullen, the Voice of Optimus Prime in 'Transformers', Dies at 85

Peter Cullen, the Canadian actor and voice actor known worldwide for voicing the hero Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots in the Transformers universe, has died at 85. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cullen passed away on Wednesday (26) at his home in Los Angeles. His death was announced by the family. The cause has not been disclosed so far.

Born in Montreal, Canada, on July 28, 1941, Cullen trained in theater and began his career on stage before working as a radio announcer and appearing on television programs. He was part of the first graduating class of Canada’s National Theatre School in 1963, and later moved to Hollywood, where he appeared in shows such as The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.

The role that defined his career came in 1984, when Cullen took on the voice of Optimus Prime in the original Transformers animated series. To shape the character, he drew inspiration from his older brother, Larry Cullen, a Marine who served in the Vietnam War. The performance became one of animation’s most recognizable voices and led Cullen to reprise Optimus in numerous films, series, and video games over the decades.

Cullen returned to the role in the film franchise launched with Transformers (2007), directed by Michael Bay. He also voiced Optimus Prime in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), Dark of the Moon (2011), Age of Extinction (2014), The Last Knight (2017), Bumblebee (2018), and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023).

Beyond Optimus, another standout character in his career was Eeyore, the melancholy donkey from Winnie the Pooh. Cullen took on the role in the animated series The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh between 1988 and 1991, and continued playing the character in different productions in the franchise.

Cullen’s work also extended to other popular franchises. He was the voice of KARR, the antagonist robot from Knight Rider, and appeared in King Kong (1976). In Predator (1987), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cullen did not physically portray the creature, but he was responsible for the signature sounds and clicks it made.

In recent years, Cullen also lent his voice to characters for newer generations. Among them is Thaedus, an important figure in the Prime Video animated series Invincible. The actor began portraying the character in the second season and returned in subsequent seasons. Thaedus is a leader of the Coalition of Planets and one of the central characters in the fight against the Viltrum Empire. Cullen’s role in the series marked yet another connection in his career to characters of great strength and leadership.

Cullen also voiced characters such as Monterey Jack from Chip & Dale: Rescue Rangers, Coran and King Alfor from Voltron, in addition to work on Dungeons & Dragons, Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. His performance as Optimus Prime in Transformers: Prime also earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination.

Throughout his career, Cullen also maintained ties to projects related to science and space exploration, including NASA initiatives. He is survived by four children: Angus, Claire, Pilar, and Clay.