Peter Cullen voice of ‘Optimus Prime’ in Transformers dies at 85

Canadian voice actor Peter Cullen, best known for voicing Optimus Prime in the Transformers franchise, has died at the age of 85.

Cullen’s death was confirmed in a statement issued by his family, according to TMZ.

“Peter Cullen passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family — and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide,” the family said.

Born Peter Claver Cullen on July 28, 1941, the Canadian voice actor rose to prominence for voicing Optimus Prime in the original 1980s Transformers animated series.

He later reprised the iconic role in various Transformers productions, including the live-action film franchise beginning in 2007.

Beyond Optimus Prime, Cullen voiced several other popular characters, including Eeyore in the Winnie the Pooh franchise, Monterey Jack in Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers, KARR in Knight Rider, and the vocalisations of the title character in Predator.

He also voiced Thaedus in the animated series Invincible.

The cause of his death has not yet been disclosed.

Cullen’s death comes shortly after the reported deaths of country music icon Dolly Parton and actor Tim Curry.