The voice behind one of animation’s most famous heroes has gone silent. Peter Cullen, best known as Optimus Prime, has died at 85.
Peter Cullen died on Wednesday, August 26, at his home in Los Angeles, according to his agent. His cause of death was not disclosed.
The actor’s death has left generations of Transformers fans mourning the man behind the powerful voice of the Autobot leader.
Cullen first became Optimus Prime in the original 1984 Transformers animated series. He later returned to the character across films, television projects and video games.
His career stretched far beyond Transformers. He also voiced Eeyore in the Winnie the Pooh franchise and worked on several other popular productions.
His voice credits included Predator, Knight Rider, The Smurfs and G.I. Joe. His work reached audiences across different generations.
Cullen received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Children’s and Family Emmy Awards in 2023. The honour recognised his long career in voice acting.
His family said he “passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide.”
The family also urged fans to remember his values of compassion, integrity and loyalty. They encouraged people to honour his legacy through service to their communities.
