The voice of Optimus Prime across generations of Transformers has died at 85
Peter Cullen, the legendary voice actor behind Optimus Prime across animation, film and video games, has died at the age of 85.
Cullen died peacefully at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday, August 26, surrounded by his family. No cause of death has been announced, according to ABC News.
For more than four decades, Cullen’s deep, unmistakable voice became inseparable from Optimus Prime. He first voiced the Autobot leader in the original 1984 Transformers animated series before returning for films, television and games.
Peter Cullen on Voicing Optimus Prime in Transformers: Devastation
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A voice that carried into gaming
Cullen’s connection to gaming was substantial. He voiced Optimus Prime in Transformers: War for Cybertron, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark and PlatinumGames’ Transformers: Devastation, among other titles.
Outside Transformers, Cullen was also widely known as the voice of Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh and for providing the distinctive vocal effects of the creature in the 1987 film Predator.
His family asked fans to honor his legacy through compassion, integrity and loyalty, ending its statement with a phrase closely associated with Cullen and Optimus Prime: “Be strong enough to be gentle.”
Peter Cullen
Born: July 28, 1941
Died: August 26, 2026 — aged 85
Best known for: Optimus Prime, Eeyore
Selected game roles: Transformers: War for Cybertron, Fall of Cybertron, Devastation
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Written by Ronny Fiksdahl, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Fix Gaming Channel.
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