Peter Cullen, the voice of Optimus Prime in every live-action Transformers film since 2007, died Wednesday August 26th, at his Los Angeles home.
His agent broke the news Wednesday, and explained that Cullen died at home surrounded by family. If you spent the ’80s glued to Saturday morning cartoons, you know this man built the entire franchise from the vocal cords up. Even Hasbro’s new AI studio knows better than to touch what he made, as some voices you don’t replicate.
Iconic Transformers voice actor passes away after 40 years as Optimus Prime
Cullen was 85 and the cause of death remains unclear, though his loved ones issued a statement asking fans to honor his legacy through compassion and service. “Be strong enough to be gentle,” they wrote in a statement, borrowing the very ethos Cullen brought to every recording booth.
He first voiced Optimus Prime in the 1980s animated series and later reprised the role across Michael Bay’s blockbuster film franchise, which essentially turned “Autobots, roll out” into a generational rallying cry.
