HOLLYWOOD, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Voiceover actor Peter Cullen at the Optimus Prime hand and footprint ceremony held at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on September 30, 2014 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)
Peter Cullen, the Canadian voice actor whose deep, measured baritone gave Optimus Prime his voice across four decades of the Transformers franchise, died at his Los Angeles home He was 85. No cause of death was confirmed, and the passing was first reported by TMZ.
His family said in a statement, "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."
That last phrase — "be strong enough to be gentle" — was the advice Cullen's brother Larry gave him when he auditioned for the role of Optimus Prime in 1984. Cullen based the character's voice on Larry, a Marine veteran, deciding that a true leader's strength should carry warmth rather than aggression. The audition won him the long-running role.
Cullen's animation career began well before Transformers, voicing characters across Pac-Man, Rainbow Brite, Voltron, The Addams Family, and Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers as Monterey Jack, and provided the vocal effects of the Predator in the ep 1987 film of the same name. He was also the voice of Eeyore in Disney's Winnie the Pooh properties for years, a role he described as among his favourites. Disney later turned to Brad Garrett for a couple of 2018 productions, though Cullen remained the character's primary voice elsewhere.
#peter
Peter Cullen, the Canadian voice actor whose deep, measured baritone gave Optimus Prime his voice across four decades of the Transformers franchise, died at his Los Angeles home He was 85. No cause of death was confirmed, and the passing was first reported by TMZ.
His family said in a statement, "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."
That last phrase — "be strong enough to be gentle" — was the advice Cullen's brother Larry gave him when he auditioned for the role of Optimus Prime in 1984. Cullen based the character's voice on Larry, a Marine veteran, deciding that a true leader's strength should carry warmth rather than aggression. The audition won him the long-running role.
Cullen's animation career began well before Transformers, voicing characters across Pac-Man, Rainbow Brite, Voltron, The Addams Family, and Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers as Monterey Jack, and provided the vocal effects of the Predator in the ep 1987 film of the same name. He was also the voice of Eeyore in Disney's Winnie the Pooh properties for years, a role he described as among his favourites. Disney later turned to Brad Garrett for a couple of 2018 productions, though Cullen remained the character's primary voice elsewhere.
#peter
2 months ago
