Peter Cullen, The Voice of Transformers’ Optimus Prime, Dies at 85
Peter Cullen has long been one of the most recognizable voice actors throughout his long career in the entertainment world. Perhaps best known for taking on the role of the Autobots’ leader, Optimus Prime, in the Transformers franchise, Cullen was so legendary in the role that he transcended the original animated series. Voicing the character in various live-action films, Peter also took multiple roles in his career for big animated characters. At the age of eighty-five, Cullen’s family has confirmed that the actor has passed away, releasing a statement as the world mourns the major loss to the pop culture world.
In a new statement from Peter Cullen’s family to TMZ, the actor’s loved ones stated, “Peter Cullen passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family – and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide. His family asks that you honor his remarkable legacy by serving your communities and leading others with compassion, integrity, and loyalty, and always remember ‘be strong enough to be gentle.’” The cause of death has not been revealed, as of yet. Best known for Optimus, the last time he took on the role was with the live-action Paramount film, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts in 2023.
Cullen has been playing the role of Optimus Prime ever since the original Transformers animated series debuted in 1984. While the part has switched hands for different projects, Cullen remained the gold standard for many fans when it came to the leader of the Autobots. As mentioned above, Peter’s voice was so recognizable that he was brought back for the live-action Transformers film that hit theaters in 2007. Ever since, he has been the voice of the Autobot leader throughout the movie series. While Cullen’s name will always be synonymous with Optimus, the voice actor has had a long history with various other animated characters.
Most recently, Cullen made headlines thanks to taking on the role of Thaedus in the Invincible animated series, acting as an ally to Mark Grayson against the Viltrumite Empire. Surprisingly, Peter also had long played the part of Eeyore across several Winnie the Pooh projects, while also taking on the part of Monterey Jack in Disney’s Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers. Many anime fans have come to know Cullen thanks to his part as a narrator for Cartoon Network’s Toonami, as the legendary voice actor helped introduce fans to countless franchises including, but not limited to, Dragon Ball Z, Outlaw Star, Rurouni Kenshin, Tenchi Muyo, and many more. Regardless of what Cullen is best known for, his loss to the entertainment world is a major one, as fans are already mourning the prolific voice actor quickly following the announcement of his passing.
