Peter Cullen, a familiar voice to generations of TV and movie fans for his voice acting across multiple Transformers projects, has died.
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The 85-year-old’s family told TMZ the actor, who embodied Autobot leader Optimus Prime in Transformers cartoons and films, died yesterday (Aug. 26) in Los Angeles. No cause of death has been revealed.
“Peter Cullen passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family – and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide,” a family statement read via TMZ. “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.’”
The Montreal native, who got his break in Canadian radio, was a prolific voice actor, lending his robust, gravelly voice to over 200 projects, according to IMDb.
Peter Cullen Voiced Two Beloved, Iconic Characters
Of course, Cullen set the standard for animated fatherly heroes with Transformers, playing Autobot leader Optimus Prime in the original ’80s series and animated movie (in which the character’s death infamously scarred a generation of children), as well as the Michael Bay Transformers films.
RIP Peter Cullen 🥹🕊💙
— Strictly 4 My X’ers (@Lizzs_Lockeroom) August 27, 2026
"I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars. We are here. We are waiting." pic.twitter.com/BgWbCkJWK8
Perhaps Cullen’s second most beloved performance was as Eeyore in the Winnie the Pooh franchise.
He might have been known as Optimus Prime to most people, but i'll always remember Peter Cullen as the voice of Eeyore in Winnie Pooh, especially New Adventures.
— Jerome (@starlightfan02) August 27, 2026
Rest in Peace Peter, rest in peace 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/m11oZMhzOG
Even without those two iconic roles, Cullen would still be a voice animation legend. He did voice work in other ’80s classics like The Smurfs, Voltron: Defender of the Universe, Alvin & the Chipmunks, and Gummi Bears. His other deep bench of credits includes turns on DuckTales, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, several G.I. Joe shows and many, many more.
To boot, he also served as the announcer for the Smothers Brothers TV show… and the voice of the Predator in the original 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger classic.
With the Transformers films, Cullen helped create a franchise that dominated much of the first two decades of the 21st century. The first 2007 film launched a franchise that included sequels and spinoffs: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen through Dark of the Moon (2011), Age of Extinction (2014), The Last Knight (2017), Bumblebee (2018), and Rise of the Beasts (2023).
Meanwhile, Cullen became a familiar face at fan conventions, beloved as something of a father figure to TV and movie fans from the 1980s on.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cullen is survived by his children, Angus, Claire, Pilar, and Clay (a stunt performer).