Peter Cullen, a man many Transformers fans have come to love as the voice of Optimus Prime, the Autobots’ fearless leader, has died at the age of 85.
The news of Cullen’s passing was broken by TMZ. According to the publication, Cullen died on August 26. His cause of death is currently unknown, but his family provided a statement about the legendary voice actor:
“Peter Cullen passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family—and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide. 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.'”
In addition to voicing Optimus Prime in Hasbro’s original animated series and Michael Bay’s live-action films, Cullen provided his talents to many other characters and series. Key among them is Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh, KARR in Knight Rider, and Monterey Jack in Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers. He even voiced Mario in Nintendo’s Donkey Kong series in the 1980s, according to TMZ.
Prior to Cowboy Bebop star Steve Blum becoming the voice a generation of kids who grew up watching Toonami would fondly remember from their childhoods, Cullen was the voice behind the late night cartoon and anime channel’s stylish promos. Most recently, Cullen starred in Prime Video’s adaptation of Robert Kirkman’s Invincible as Thaedus—a show whose fourth season featured a Transformers reunion, as Megatron voice actor Frank Welker voiced Emperor Argall, who clashes with Thaedus.
To say Cullen’s impact on animation and cartoons as a medium was profound would be an understatement. For many, his voice was a comfort and a reassurance, bringing his heroes to life in ways that rivaled the skilled animation and character designs that matched them. He will be sorely missed.
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