Canadian voice actor Peter Cullen, best known for providing the iconic voice of Optimus Prime in the Transformers franchise, has died at the age of 85.
Cullen died on Wednesday, August 26, at his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by his family, his agent Kevin Motley confirmed. His cause of death has not been disclosed.
Cullen first voiced Optimus Prime in the original Transformers animated series in 1984. His deep and commanding voice became synonymous with the leader of the Autobots, a role he reprised across animated series, video games and the live-action film franchise. His final major appearance as Optimus Prime was in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts in 2023.
Beyond Transformers, Cullen was also widely recognised as the voice of Eeyore in the Winnie the Pooh franchise. He also provided vocal effects for the Predator in the 1987 film Predator and voiced KARR in Knight Rider.
In a statement released through his agent, Cullen's family described his death as peaceful and urged fans to honour his legacy by serving their communities with compassion, integrity and loyalty.
Cullen's career spanned several decades and more than 200 credits across television, film, animation and video games, making him one of the most recognisable voice actors of his generation.
