The Canadian voice actor whose distinctive voice brought some of animation’s most beloved characters to life, Peter Cullen, has died at the age of 85.
Cullen was best known for originating the voice of Optimus Prime, the heroic leader of the Autobots in the Transformers franchise. His death was announced in a statement shared on his official Instagram page.
“It is with an incredibly heavy heart that I acknowledge the passing of the legendary Peter Cullen,” the statement reads.
Cullen’s career spanned several decades, during which he became one of the most recognisable and respected voice actors in the entertainment industry. Here are 10 things worth knowing about the late actor.
1. He was the class clown
As a child, Cullen discovered that he had a natural ability to imitate people, particularly their voices and mannerisms. He regularly mimicked his teachers and entertained classmates with different sounds.
His talent for making people laugh, however, sometimes got him into trouble. He was also known for imitating animal sounds and turning the classroom into his own stage.
2. He was among the first graduates of Canada’s National Theatre School
After finishing high school, Cullen pursued acting at the National Theatre School of Canada.
He graduated in 1963 as part of the institution’s first graduating class, alongside actors including Paul Hecht, Donnelly Rhodes, Diana Leblanc and Heath Lamberts.
3. He began his career in comedy
Before becoming one of the most famous voices in animation, Cullen worked as an announcer and performer on comedy programmes.
His early credits included The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and The Hudson Brothers’ Razzle Dazzle Show. He also worked in radio, including the CBC series Funny You Should Say That.
4. His brother inspired the voice of Optimus Prime
Cullen did not initially have a specific voice in mind when he auditioned for Optimus Prime.
He drew inspiration from his brother Larry Cullen, a former US Marine who had recently returned from the Vietnam War. Peter adopted his brother’s deep, authoritative voice during the audition, and the approach impressed the producers.
Three weeks later, he learned that he had won the role.
5. Optimus Prime became his most iconic character
Cullen first voiced Optimus Prime in the original animated Transformers series and The Transformers: The Movie.
He went on to reprise the character across multiple Transformers productions for decades, including the live-action film series.
His deep and commanding delivery helped make Optimus Prime one of the most recognisable characters in popular culture.
6. Eeyore was another of his favourite characters
Although Optimus Prime held a special place in Cullen’s heart because of his connection to his brother, Eeyore from the Winnie the Pooh franchise was also among his favourite characters.
Cullen enjoyed voicing Eeyore because the character required less vocal strain compared with some of his other demanding roles.
7. He voiced three characters in King Kong
One of Cullen’s early major voice-acting assignments involved the animated King Kong.
He provided the voices of King Kong, Mrs. Kong and Baby Kong. The demanding work reportedly placed significant strain on his voice, leaving him seriously ill by the end of the production.
8. He was the first actor to voice Mario in Western animation
Long before Chris Pratt became associated with Mario, Cullen provided the character’s voice in the 1983 animated series The Saturday Supercade.
He voiced Mario in the Donkey Kong segment, making him the first actor to portray Nintendo’s famous mascot in Western television animation.
9. He continued voicing Optimus Prime for more than four decades
Cullen’s association with Optimus Prime lasted for more than 40 years, making the character one of the longest-running roles of his career.
Even as the Transformers franchise evolved across different generations and formats, his voice remained closely associated with the character.
He most recently reprised the role in 2023’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
10. His legacy extends beyond Optimus Prime
Cullen’s career went far beyond Transformers. He voiced numerous characters across television, film and animation and became an influential figure in the voice-acting industry.
His work touched several generations of audiences, and his death announcement highlighted the personal qualities that made him admired beyond his performances.
“More importantly, Peter himself was someone people could look up to. His kindness, humility, compassion, and wisdom resonated far beyond the characters he portrayed,” the statement reads.
“His work touched millions of people across generations, and his influence will continue through every person who grew up hearing his voice, watching his performances, and carrying the memories he helped create.
“Few people are fortunate enough to leave behind something that becomes part of so many childhoods, friendships, families, and lives.
- “Your voice may have fallen silent, but your legacy never will.”