Peter Cullen, the iconic voice actor best known as Optimus Prime in Transformers and Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh, has died. He was 85.
Cullen died Wednesday at his Los Angeles home, his agent Kevin Motley confirmed to ABC News. No cause of death was announced.
His family said Cullen “passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family – and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide.”
They asked fans to honor his legacy “by serving your communities and leading others with compassion, integrity, and loyalty” and to remember one of Cullen’s most enduring phrases: “be strong enough to be gentle.”
That sentiment became inseparable from Cullen’s portrayal of Optimus Prime, the noble leader of the Autobots whose deep, commanding voice helped define the Transformers franchise across generations.
Cullen voiced Optimus in numerous animated series, films and games, becoming so closely associated with the character that his performance became the standard against which later versions were measured.
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But Optimus was only one part of a remarkably broad career.
Cullen amassed more than 200 acting credits and also voiced Eeyore, the melancholy donkey from Winnie the Pooh, a role he often described as one of his personal favorites.
“I enjoyed doing Eeyore because he was simply charming,” Cullen told NPR in 2014.
He said he especially loved seeing children react when he slipped into the character’s familiar voice and offered the classic greeting, “Thanks for noticing me.”
His other work included Knight Rider, Chip ’n Dale Rescue Rangers and vocal effects for the 1987 film Predator. He also served as an announcer on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour in the 1970s, a role that helped open the door to his acting career.
Born in Canada, Cullen said he discovered his gift for voices as a child while working on a farm.
He once recalled making a loud noise in a dairy barn and watching all the cows turn toward him.
“This is fantastic,” he remembered thinking. “I was the king of the cows.”
That early instinct for imitation eventually grew into a career spanning animals, aliens, heroes, villains and countless animated characters.
Cullen began in comedy before moving to Los Angeles, where his ability to create instantly recognizable voices made him one of animation’s most sought-after performers.
In a 2023 interview, Cullen offered advice to young people hoping to build a creative career. “If you find something you love to do, do it, stick with it, and you’ll never work a day in your life,” he said.
For millions of fans, Cullen’s voice became part of childhood itself – reassuring as Eeyore, heroic as Optimus Prime and unmistakable the moment he spoke.
His family’s chosen words feel especially fitting for the man behind one of pop culture’s most enduring heroes:
Be strong enough to be gentle. Rest in peace, Optimus.
