Voice actor Peter Cullen, known for portraying Eeyore in “Winnie the Pooh” and Optimus Prime in the “Transformers” series, has passed away at the age of 85. His agent, Kevin Motley, confirmed Cullen’s death at his residence in Los Angeles. Originally from Montreal, Cullen began his career on radio before transitioning to television as the announcer for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” from 1967 to 1969.
In addition to voicing characters like King Kong in the 1976 remake and a monster in “Predator” in 1987, Cullen gained recognition from millennials for his role as Eeyore in “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” from 1988 to 1991. However, his most iconic role was that of Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots in the “Transformers” series, which he started playing in the early 1980s.
Despite not portraying Optimus Prime for two decades, Cullen was brought back by director Michael Bay in 2007 for the film “Transformers,” alongside Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, and Josh Duhamel. At the Calgary Comic Expo in 2015, Cullen shared how his brother Larry, a former U.S. Marine, inspired the voice of Optimus Prime by emphasizing that a true hero is “strong enough to be gentle.”
In a statement announcing Cullen’s passing, his family expressed that he will be remembered fondly by his friends and fans worldwide. They encouraged the public to honor his legacy by showing compassion, integrity, and loyalty, while always embodying the ethos of being “strong enough to be gentle.”