Canadian voice actor Peter Cullen, known for portraying Eeyore in “Winnie the Pooh” and Optimus Prime in the “Transformers” series, passed away at the age of 85 at his residence in Los Angeles, as confirmed by his agent Kevin Motley to CBC News on Wednesday.
Originally from Montreal, Cullen started his career in radio on 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 version of “King Kong” and created the menacing sounds for the monster in “Predator” in 1987.
Cullen’s distinctive voice may be familiar to millennials from his role as Eeyore in “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” from 1988 to 1991. He continued voicing Eeyore in various productions, including the 2002 film “Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year.” However, his most iconic role was as Optimus Prime, the talking truck transformer, which he portrayed since the early 1980s.
The character of Optimus Prime garnered immense popularity, leading to a significant backlash in 1986 when the character was killed in a battle with Megatron in “The Transformers: The Movie.” Due to fan demand, Optimus Prime was revived in 1987 in “The Transformers: The Return of Optimus Prime.”
Director Michael Bay brought Cullen back in 2007 for the film “Transformers,” starring alongside Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, and Josh Duhamel. At the Calgary Comic Expo in 2015, Cullen revealed that his brother Larry, a decorated U.S. Marine, inspired the voice of Optimus Prime by emphasizing that true heroism lies in being “strong enough to be gentle.”
Following Cullen’s passing, his family released a statement urging fans to honor his legacy by embodying qualities such as compassion, integrity, and loyalty, highlighting the importance of being “strong enough to be gentle.”
