Fans of the “Transformers” franchise are mourning the passing of Peter Cullen, who voiced Optimus Prime in the original animated TV series. Since then, he’s lent his voice to several other projects in the Transformers universe as the beloved character and has even appeared on “The Masked Singer” in 2024. Notably, he also voiced Eeyore in “Winnie the Pooh,” beginning in 1988.
TMZ confirmed Cullen’s passing on August 27. A member of the voice actor’s family issued a statement to the outlet, saying, “Peter Cullen passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family – and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide.”
GettyThe statement continued, “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.”
Tributes Are Pouring In For Peter Cullen
“Transformers” remains one of the most revered franchises in Hollywood, with there being a real fondness for the original series featuring Cullen as Optimus Prime. Because of that, he’s beloved by the fan base, with many now taking to social media to share his impact.
One person said on X, “Oh man, what a rough week. Peter Cullen was literally the voice of so much of my life. From watching Transformers as a kid to the modern films in my early adult life, Peter Cullen worked wonders delivering such a powerful voice to Optimus Prime.”
Someone else said, “I have no words; so many amazing people dying this week. Rest in Paradise to everyone
Rest in Paradise, Peter Cullen.” After that, another person mentioned other notable deaths, saying, “Sam Neil, Kaylee Hottle, and Peter Cullen all in the same year.”
A different “Transformers” fan stated, “I live in Australia and have been putting off going to sleep out of fear of someone else dying, and it HAPPENED!?!? Rest in Peace, Peter Cullen.”
Another social media user said, “R.I.P. Peter Cullen. From Optimus Prime to Eeyore to Pete and the cave voice in the 90s adaptation of The Little Engine That Could to his various roles in the original DuckTales and well beyond, I’ve admired his work for years.”
More tributes poured in for the beloved voice actor, with one person stating, “Man, the hits just keep coming. Peter Cullen, best known as the voice of Optimus Prime, has passed away at the age of 85. RIP Big Guy.”
Peter Was Protective Over Optimus Prime
GettyAs mentioned, in addition to his many other iconic roles, Cullen began voicing Optimus Prime in the late 1980s, with his most recent role in the franchise being in 2023’s “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.” Because of his legacy, Cullen felt a duty to maintain a level of respect for the foundations of the character.
In 2017, he spoke to SlashFilm, where the reporter asked whether he’d ever “pushed back” on the character’s dialogue. He said, “Yeah. Yes, I have. They are very few and far between, but I have had those encounters. Not often. It’s a moment where…it requires a lot of diplomatic tact without hurting anyone’s feelings or ego. It’s hard to be demonstrative about something when you’re a subject rather than the boss.”
Cullen continued, “It’s difficult. Although it has happened, and if it had to go any further, it probably could have stopped production until the people higher up were acquainted with the problem and they would understand and say, ‘Peter’s right.’ It has happened, but not often. I can count them all on one hand.”
Later in the interview, he was asked if he felt “ownership” over Optimus Prime. He responded, “I don’t own it. But I respect it. I respect the situation that I’m in. It’s a responsibility now, because so many people would be offended if it changed.”
In additon to the iconic projects already mentioned, Cullen is known for voicing Predator in 1987’s “Predator,” KAAR in “Knight Rider,” and Mario in the original “Donkey Kong” series. He will be missed.
