Renowned voice actor Peter Cullen, known for his iconic roles as Eeyore in “Winnie the Pooh” and Optimus Prime in the “Transformers” series, has passed away at the age of 85. Cullen’s agent, Kevin Motley, confirmed his death at his residence in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Originally from Montreal, Cullen began his career in radio on CKGM before transitioning to television as the announcer for CBS’s “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” from 1967 to 1969. He lent his voice to the giant ape in the 1976 remake of “King Kong” and provided the eerie sounds for the monster in “Predator” in 1987.
Fans of the 1988-91 series “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” may recognize Cullen’s voice as Eeyore, a role he continued in the 2002 film “Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year” and other productions. However, his most significant portrayal was that of Optimus Prime, the talking truck transformer, which he began voicing in the early 1980s.
In 1986, there was a notable backlash among fans when Optimus Prime met his demise in a battle with Megatron in “The Transformers: The Movie.” However, the character was resurrected in 1987 in “The Transformers: The Return of Optimus Prime.” Despite a hiatus from the role, director Michael Bay brought Cullen back in 2007 for the film “Transformers,” starring alongside Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, and Josh Duhamel.
During the Calgary Comic Expo in 2015, Cullen shared that his portrayal of Optimus Prime was inspired by his brother Larry, a decorated U.S. Marine. Larry’s words, “a real hero is strong enough to be gentle,” resonated with Cullen and influenced his performance.
In a statement announcing Cullen’s passing, his family expressed gratitude for the support from friends and fans worldwide. They encouraged the public to honor his legacy by embodying qualities such as compassion, integrity, and loyalty, and to always remember to “be strong enough to be gentle.”