Renowned Canadian voice actor Peter Cullen, known for bringing characters like Eeyore in “Winnie the Pooh” and Optimus Prime in the “Transformers” series to life, has passed away at the age of 85. His agent, Kevin Motley, confirmed the sad news, stating that Cullen died at his residence in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Originally from Montreal, Cullen began his career on the radio before transitioning to television, where he served as the announcer for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” on CBS from 1967 to 1969. He lent his voice to various iconic characters over the years, such as 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 remember Cullen as the voice behind the lovable donkey Eeyore. Additionally, he gained widespread recognition for portraying Optimus Prime, the heroic leader of the Autobots, starting in the early ’80s.
Despite not voicing Optimus Prime for two decades, Cullen was brought back to reprise the role in the 2007 science fiction action film “Transformers” by director Michael Bay. At the Calgary Comic Expo in 2015, Cullen shared that his brother Larry, a former U.S. Marine, inspired his portrayal of a true hero, emphasizing the importance of being “strong enough to be gentle.”
In a statement announcing Cullen’s passing, his family expressed gratitude for the outpouring of love from fans worldwide and encouraged people to honor his legacy by embodying qualities such as compassion, integrity, and loyalty while remembering to “Be strong enough to be gentle.”