Peter Cullen, famous for voicing Optimus Prime in the “Transformers” franchise, has died. He was 85.
The voice actor’s agent told TMZthat Cullen died on Wednesday at his Los Angeles home.
His cause of death is unknown.
Cullen’s family also shared an emotional statement with the outlet, in which they said that he “passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family.”
“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.’”
Peter voiced Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots, in the original 1980s “Transformers” animated TV series.
He reprised the role in in “The Transformers: The Movie” (1986) as his deep, commanding delivery became inseparable from the character.
He also voiced Optimus Prime in the epic live-action “Transformers” film series directed by Michael Bay which featured stars like Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox.
After the first film in 2007, Cullen subsequently voiced the character in every live-action “Transformers,” including “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” (2009), “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” (2011), “Transformers: Age of Extinction” (2014), “Transformers: The Last Knight” (2017) “Bumblebee” (2018), and “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023).
Cullen remained closely associated with the character through animated series including “Transformers: Prime” and “Transformers: Robots in Disguise,” as well as numerous video games.
He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 2011 for his performance as Optimus in “Transformers: Prime.”
In 2023, Cullen received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences at the Children’s & Family Emmy Awards, recognizing his extraordinary contribution to voice acting.
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