Peter Cullen, the Canadian voice artist famous for portraying Eeyore in the classic “Winnie the Pooh” and voicing Optimus Prime in the popular “Transformers” series, has passed away. His agent, Kevin Motley, confirmed the sad news, revealing that Cullen died at his residence in Los Angeles at the age of 85.
Originally from Montreal, Cullen began his career in radio at CKGM before transitioning to television as the announcer for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” on CBS from 1967 to 1969. He lent his voice to iconic characters such as the giant ape in the 1976 remake of “King Kong” and the menacing sounds of the creature in the 1987 film “Predator.”
Fans of the 1988-91 series “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” may recognize Cullen as the voice of the lovable donkey, Eeyore. He continued to voice this character in various productions, including the 2002 film “Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year.” However, his most prominent role was that of Optimus Prime, the talking truck transformer, which he portrayed since the early 1980s.
A significant moment in Cullen’s career was his return as Optimus Prime in Michael Bay’s 2007 film “Transformers,” reuniting with stars Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, and Josh Duhamel. At the Calgary Comic Expo in 2015, Cullen shared how his brother Larry, a decorated U.S. Marine, inspired his portrayal of Optimus Prime, emphasizing the importance of being “strong enough to be gentle.”
In a statement released by Cullen’s family following his passing, they expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support and urged fans to honor his legacy by embodying qualities such as compassion, integrity, and loyalty, always remembering to “be strong enough to be gentle.”