Peter Cullen, who voiced Optimus Prime for about four decades, dies at 85

The Canadian-American voice actor Peter Cullen passed away on August 26, 2026, at age 85. Peter was best known for roles such as Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh and Optimus Prime in the Transformers series. Peter also voiced several other noteworthy characters across different franchises. The legendary voice actor passed away after the heartbreaking news of the deaths of English actor and singer Tim Curry and American singer and actress Dolly Parton, who both died on August 25, 2026.

As reported by TMZ, Cullen passed away in his Los Angeles residence on August 26, 2026. After his death, Cullen’s family also released a short, heartfelt statement, saying that he passed away “peacefully,” surrounded by his loved ones. “Peter Cullen passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family — and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide.”

The statement also 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.”

A voice behind several iconic characters

Peter Cullen voiced the famous Optimus Prime for about four decades. He started with the original The Transformers animated series in 1984 and played Optimus Prime through the 2007 live-action films, 2023 Rise of the Beasts, and more. During this era, he was reportedly absent from the franchise in the 1990s. He is also known for his role in Winnie the Pooh as Eeyore, which he started in 1988 all the way to 2017.

Apart from these noteworthy contributions, Peter is also known for several iconic roles throughout his career. Remember the clicking and growling sounds from the original Predator movie? Cullen was behind those inhuman vocal effects. One of his most famous roles, which reportedly injured his throat during the process, was the roar of King Kong in the King Kong remake (1976).

The Canadian-American was also behind Monterey Jack from Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, which ran from 1989 to 1990. Additionally, Cullen also voiced the famous rogue AI car K.A.R.R. from Knight Rider and several other characters.

Peter Cullen died at 85 in Los Angeles. The cause of his death is reportedly unclear.