THR and other outlets report Peter Cullen, the Canadian voice actor best known for originating the role of Autobot leader Optimus Prime on the original Transformers cartoon, has died. He was 85 years old. His family did not disclose the cause of death, but confirmed he passed away at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday, August 26.
Cullen was also well-known for voicing Eeyore across Winnie the Pooh media; K.A.R.R. on Knight Rider; Monterey Jack on the first season of Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers; Venger on Dungeons & Dragons; and Thaedus on Invincible. He also provided the vocal effects for the title characters in King Kong (1976) and Predator (1987), and was the announcer for Cartoon Network’s Toonami block from 1997 to 2008.
Cullen was born to American parents in Montreal, Quebec on July 28, 1941, and graduated from the National Theatre School of Canada in 1963. He began his career in local theater, radio and TV, before becoming a cast member and announcer on American variety shows like The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. Early voice roles included the Hulk, Mysterio, and the Red Skull on Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981), and the 1982 Spider-Man cartoon.
He voiced Optimus on all four seasons of The Transformers from 1984 to 1987, as well as in 1986’s Transformers: The Movie (where the character was infamously killed off); he also voiced Ironhide, and several other characters. Cullen said his brother Larry, who was a marine, was his inspiration for the part: on Netflix’s The Toys Made Us, he recalled his brother telling him not to approach the role like a typical action hero, but to be “strong enough to be gentle.”
Cullen returned to the role in the first live-action film in 2007, and subsequently reprised the role in its four sequels, Bumblebee, Rise of the Beasts, their tie-in video games, and the Universal Studios ride. He returned to the part on TV, voicing Optimus on Transformers: Prime (2010-13), Rescue Bots (2011-16), and Robots in Disguise (2015-17), as well as in Machinima’s Prime Wars series (2017-18).
He also voiced Prime in other Transformers games, including War for Cybertron, from 2010 to 2023. His final portrayal of the character came on The Masked Singer in 2024. His association with Transformers extended to his voice being used in sound chips for the toys, commercials, promotional appearances, and providing a foreword for 2010’s non-fiction book Transformers: Vault.
Cullen first voiced Eeyore on the Disney Channel’s The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in 1988, and last played him on Disney Junior’s Doc McStuffins in 2017. His portrayal of the heroic Viltrumite Thaedus, on season four of Invincible in 2026, ultimately marked his final acting role.
He was honored during his lifetime with an induction into Hasbro’s Transformers Hall of Fame in 2010, and a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program for Transformers: Prime. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Children’s and Family Emmy Awards in 2023, which was presented to him by his longtime Transformers co-star (and onscreen nemesis) Frank Welker.
Cullen is survived by four children, including stuntman Clay Cullen. The Beat‘s thoughts are with them, and the many, many generations of Transformers fans who grew up with him as the voice of Optimus Prime.
A wonderful actor, perfectly cast in a role that called for strength of character, good humour, and feet of clay.
The three-part pilot, “More Than Meets The Eye,” also known as “Arrival From Cybertron,” was an excellent showcase for Mister Cullen’s range in the role of Optimus Prime, from the John Wayne swagger of “Stick it in neutral, Megatron! You’re not going anywhere.” to the very real anger in the character’s voice when he thought all was lost. Mister Cullen’s commitment and earnestness as part of that cast contributed so much to my generation’s love of these franchises, and why we hold them dear today.
As comics people, we know the value of collaboration, each hand adding its own strength to the story. And Transformers has had plenty of fantastic storytellers, from Floro Dery through Bob Budiansky and Simon Furman to Daniel Warren Johnson and Travis Knight. Each and every person has brought their own talent, their idiosyncrasy, and more often than not, their whole heart to these toys.
And for the greater portion of them, when they see that Peterbilt, they’re hearing Peter talk.
Rest in peace, Mister Cullen. Thank you for your voice.