Iconic Voice of Optimus Prime, Peter Cullen, Dies at 85

It's the end of an era for Transformers fans Peter Cullen, the voice actor who is best known for his role as Autobot leader Optimus Prime in the Transformers cartoon series, video games, and live-action movies, has died at age 85. Cullen is also well known as the longtime voice of Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh cartoons and is one of the most prominent voice actors to have worked in kids cartoons. TMZ was first to report the news of Cullen's death. "Peter Cullen passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family — and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide," a statement shared with TMZ reads. "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.'" Cullen first voiced Optimus Prime in 1984, with the original animated series based on the Transformers toyline. He reprised the role across multiple animated projects, video games, and the live-action movie series, initially helmed by Michael Bay and later by Travis Knight (Bumblebee) and Steven Caple Jr. (Rise of the Beasts). Cullen's acting credits go well beyond Transfor