Peter Cullen, the talented voice artist known for portraying Eeyore in “Winnie the Pooh” and Optimus Prime in the “Transformers” series, has passed away at the age of 85. His agent, Kevin Motley, confirmed Cullen’s death at his residence in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Originally from Montreal, Cullen began his career in radio, working at CKGM before transitioning to television as the announcer for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” on CBS from 1967 to 1969. He lent his voice to the giant ape in the 1976 remake of “King Kong” and the monster in “Predator” in 1987.
Fans of the 1988-91 series “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” may recognize Cullen as the voice of the lovable donkey, Eeyore. He continued to voice Eeyore in various projects, including the 2002 film “Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year.” However, his most iconic role was that of Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots in the “Transformers” franchise, which he began portraying in the early ’80s.
In 1986, there was a significant fan outcry when Optimus Prime perished in a battle with Megatron in “The Transformers: The Movie.” To appease fans, the character was resurrected in 1987 in “The Transformers: The Return of Optimus Prime.” Despite a hiatus from the role, Cullen was rehired by director Michael Bay for the 2007 film “Transformers,” starring alongside Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, and Josh Duhamel.
During a panel at the Calgary Comic Expo in 2015, Cullen shared that his brother Larry, a decorated U.S. Marine, inspired the voice of Optimus Prime by embodying the values of strength and gentleness. Cullen’s family, in a statement announcing his passing, urged fans to honor his legacy by demonstrating compassion, integrity, and loyalty, encapsulating the essence of being “strong enough to be gentle.”