Optimus Prime and Eeyore voice actor Peter Cullen dies aged 85
The Canadian actor died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles
Actor Peter Cullen, who voiced beloved characters including Optimus Prime in Transformers and Eeyore in Disney's Winnie the Pooh, has died at the age of 85.
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His other notable roles include the roars of King Kong for the 1976 remake, and KARR – Knight Automated Roving Robot, the evil counterpart to KITT – in the Knight Rider series in 1982 and 2009.
The Canadian actor died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, a statement said.
"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 honour his remarkable legacy by serving your communities and leading others with compassion, integrity, and loyalty and always remember 'be strong enough to be gentle'."
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Cullen began his most significant role – as Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots – for the Transformers TV series in 1984.
He then returned for seven Hollywood Transformers films between 2007 and 2023.
Cullen also voiced the melancholic donkey Eeyore in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh TV series in the late 1980s, as well as numerous related shows, films and games.
He is also credited for the clicking vocalisations of the monster in Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1987 film, The Predator.
The Montreal-born actor began his career in Canadian television and radio, later becoming a regular on shows including The Sonny & Cher Show and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, before turning his focus to voice acting.
Cullen said the authoritative voice of Optimus Prime was inspired by his older brother Larry, a retired US Marine Corps captain who served in the Vietnam War.
Larry advised him to play the character as “a real hero, don’t be a Hollywood hero”.
“He said, ‘Don’t go yelling and screaming. He’s strong enough to be gentle,’” Cullen recalled.
“That resonated with me. I could hear his voice all the way to the audition. When he drops down, when he gets serious, is where I found Optimus Prime.”
Cullen shared a portion of his earnings from the role with Larry until his brother died in 2011.