Voice actor Peter Cullen—the voice of Optimus Prime—has died
Canadian voice actor Peter Cullen, who lent his voice to Optimus Prime in “Transformers” and to the donkey Eeyore in the “Winnie-the-Pooh” stories, has died at the age of 85. The actor passed away on August 26 at his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by his family.
Peter Cullen was one of those actors whose voice is recognized by millions of people, even if not everyone remembers his name. He was the voice of Optimus Prime—the leader of the Autobots in “Transformers.” He also voiced the sad and good-natured donkey Eeyore in the Winnie the Pooh cartoons and TV series. Cullen died on August 26 at the age of 85. He spent his final moments at his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by his family. The Hollywood Reporter reported the actor’s death.
Before achieving widespread fame in the world of animation, Cullen worked as an actor and commentator on comedy shows. He later began to focus on voice acting. One of his first well-known roles was that of Eeyore the donkey. Cullen voiced the character in the series *The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh*, which aired from 1988 to 1991, and reprised the role in other projects.
The actor said that even small children recognized Eeyore’s voice. “I get a lot of reactions, especially from small children, when I walk up and simply say in Eeyore’s voice, ‘Hello. Thanks for noticing me,” Cullen recalled. His voice can also be heard in other popular animated series. In particular, he voiced Cheese-Eater in “Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers.”
However, Cullen’s most famous role was Optimus Prime. He first voiced the leader of the Autobots in the animated series *Transformers*, which aired from 1984 to 1987. The series was based on the popular Hasbro toy line. At first, the role itself seemed quite unusual to Cullen. At the audition, they simply explained to him that it was a character who was a truck. “I went through the audition just like everyone else. They told me it was a character, and they told me it was a truck,” the actor recalled.
While working on Optimus Prime’s voice, Callen drew inspiration from his older brother, Larry. Larry was a U.S. Marine who served in Vietnam from 1965 to 1968 and was decorated for his service. It was the image of his older brother that helped Cullen create the voice and character of Optimus Prime—a calm, confident, and strong leader.
@transformerstruefacts Peter Cullen: You are a legend to so many people around the world. Your voice is powerful and memorable to everyone. What would you say to Peter Cullen if you had the chance to meet him? Leave a comment #optimusprime #transformersvoices #petercullen #transformerstruefacts #transformers ♬ original sound - Transformers True Facts
When director Michael Bay decided to bring “Transformers” back to the big screen, Cullen once again landed the role of Optimus Prime. He voiced the character in the 2007 DreamWorks film “Transformers.”
The actor returned to this role after a hiatus of about two decades. Cullen himself compared this return to something very familiar. “I’d compare it to putting on an old pair of very comfortable shoes that I haven’t worn in a long time. I just put them on, and they fit just as comfortably as they did the last time I wore them,” the actor said. The movie *Transformers* was a success, and Cullen continued to voice Optimus Prime in subsequent projects in the franchise.
Over the course of a decade, he created several characters who are instantly recognizable by their voices alone. For some viewers, he will forever remain the heroic Optimus Prime; for others, the sorrowful Ia-Ia. Both characters have become an important part of his creative legacy, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
