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Peter Cullen, the legendary voice of Optimus Prime in the ‘Transformers’ franchise, has died at 85.
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The Canadian voice actor died peacefully at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, surrounded by his family.
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Cullen voiced Optimus Prime for more than four decades, from the original animated series to several live-action ‘Transformers’ films.
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He was also known for voicing Eeyore in ‘Winnie the Pooh’, as well as the Predator and K.A.R.R.
August 27, (THEWILL) — Canadian voice actor Peter Cullen, best known as the voice of Optimus Prime in the ‘Transformers’ franchise, has died at 85.
Cullen died at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. His family confirmed his death, saying he passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones. His cause of death has not been disclosed.
Following his passing, Cullen’s family paid tribute to the late actor, asking fans to honour his legacy through service and compassionate leadership.
“Peter Cullen passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family – and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide,” the family said.
“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.’”
Cullen became the voice of Optimus Prime in the original animated ‘Transformers’ series in the 1980s. His deep, commanding voice became closely associated with the heroic leader of the Autobots and helped make the character an animation icon.
He later returned to the role for the live-action ‘Transformers’ films. Cullen voiced Optimus Prime in ‘Transformers’ (2007), ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’, ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’, ‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’ and ‘Transformers: The Last Knight’.
He also reprised the role in ‘Bumblebee’ and ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’. His performance in the animated series ‘Transformers: Prime’ earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination.
Peter Cullen’s other famous roles
Cullen’s career went far beyond ‘Transformers’. He was also widely known as the voice of Eeyore in the ‘Winnie the Pooh’ franchise.
He first voiced Eeyore in ‘The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh’ in 1988 and continued to play the character in several later productions.
Cullen also voiced Monterey Jack in ‘Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers’ and K.A.R.R. in ‘Knight Rider’. In the 1987 film ‘Predator’, he created the creature’s distinctive clicking and vocal sounds. He also voiced King Kong in the 1976 film ‘King Kong’.
Born Peter Claver Cullen in Montreal, Canada, on July 28, 1941, Cullen studied at the National Theatre School of Canada and was part of its first graduating class in 1963.
Before establishing himself as a voice actor, he worked in radio and television before moving to Hollywood, where he appeared on shows including ‘The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour’ and ‘The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour’.
Cullen once said he drew inspiration for Optimus Prime’s voice from his older brother, Larry, a former US Marine who served in the Vietnam War. He said his brother’s strength and character influenced the way he approached the role.
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Cullen was inducted into the ‘Transformers’ Hall of Fame in 2010 for his contribution to the franchise.
He is survived by his children, Angus, Claire, Pilar and Clay.
His family has asked fans to remember him through the values he lived by, including compassion, integrity, loyalty and kindness.
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
