At 85, Peter Cullen — the voice of Optimus Prime and Eeyore — has died

In a statement shared with TMZ, Peter Cullen’s family said the voice actor died at home at age 85, with loved ones by his side. They asked fans to remember not just his work, but the way he carried himself.

“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.’”

The Montreal-born performer defined generations of Saturday mornings and big-screen blockbusters. Best known as the courageous voice of Optimus Prime in Transformers —first in the 1980s animated series and later in Michael Bay’s movies —Cullen also brought a warm, weary soul to Eeyore across decades of Winnie the Pooh projects.

Roles that stuck

• Transformers — Optimus Prime (1980s animated series; returned for Michael Bay’s live-action films)
• Winnie the Pooh — Eeyore (including The Tigger Movie in 2000 and Pooh’s Heffalump Movie in 2005)
• Saturday Supercade — Mario in the 1980s animated Donkey Kong segment
• Predator — the creature’s distinctive vocalizations in the film franchise
• Invincible — Thaedus in the animated series

That Eeyore run spans a landmark moment for the Hundred Acre Wood: the Winnie the Pooh franchise turns 100 in 2026.

Health and cause of death

The cause of death was not disclosed. In recent months, Cullen had canceled some convention appearances for health reasons, according to reports. He had previously undergone treatment for stage 4 prostate cancer and was later cleared after surgery and radiation, per those reports.

Cullen is survived by four children — Clay, Angus, Claire, and Pilar — and three grandchildren, according to the family. Fans have been sharing tributes across social media, celebrating a voice that helped define their childhoods and their movie nights.