Within 48 hours of the deaths of Dolly Parton and Tim Curry, another Hollywood icon has left us. Peter Cullen, the Canadian-American voice actor who was most famous for voicing the lead Transformer, Optimus Prime, has died. He was 85.
Statement from the family
Peter Cullen died at his home in Los Angeles.
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The actor's death was confirmed by his agent, Kevin Motley, to The Hollywood Reporter. He died at his home in Los Angeles. In a statement, his family said, “Peter Cullen passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family - and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide. 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 cause of death hasn’t been reported.
About his career
Deep Dive
What were Peter Cullen's most famous voice roles?
Peter Cullen was most famous for voicing Optimus Prime in the Transformers series and Eeyore in Disney's Winnie the Pooh. He also voiced characters like the Predator in the 1987 film 'Predator' and Monterey Jack in 'Chip ’n Dale Rescue Rangers.'
How did Peter Cullen's early life influence his voice acting career?
Peter Cullen graduated from the National Theatre School of Canada in 1963, and his experiences, including advice from his brother Larry, helped shape the voice he created for Optimus Prime, emphasizing leadership and warmth.
What did Peter Cullen's family request in his obituary?
In his obituary, Peter Cullen's family requested that fans honor his legacy by serving their communities and leading with compassion, integrity, and loyalty, and to remember the advice he once received: 'be strong enough to be gentle.'
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The actor graduated from the National Theatre School of Canada in 1963. He then worked as an announcer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967–1968). He was best known for voicing Optimus Prime, starting in the 1984 animated series. He then reprised the role in live-action Hollywood films from 2007 to 2023.
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He also voiced in Invincible, Voltron and as Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh features.
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He also voiced in Invincible, Voltron and as Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh features.
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In an interview with Collider in 2023, he had shared his equation with directors on a project which would require his voice acting. “Actually, it would just be my interpretation of what was written down. You would see a sketch of the character, what it looked like, and then an example of some of its dialogue, and I would always create it according to how it was built. If it had a thin neck, I would make it more trumpet or more strangled; if it was larger, more air, deeper, and then I looked at its comedy traits and how funny is it gonna be? And how is he funny? Is he funny verbally, or is he funny the way he says it, or some obstruction, you know, maybe his lips are twisted or something, whatever? So that's how most of them came to be, would be the immediate interpretation of seeing the picture,” he said.
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm
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Home/Entertainment/Hollywood/Peter Cullen, actor who voiced Optimus Prime in Transformers franchise, dies at 85
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