"One shall stand, one shall fall."
Peter Cullen, the iconic voice behind Optimus Prime in the Transformers movies, TV shows, and video games, has passed away at age 85. The actor died at home on Wednesday.
In a brief statement shared by the actor's family, it's said that Cullen "passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family — and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide."
They've asked his fans to "honour 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 the original The Transformers animated series, which debuted in 1984. He also voiced Ironhide in the series, but his portrayal of the Autobot leader became his defining achievement.
The actor later reprised the role in 1986's The Transformers: The Movie, and made the jump to live-action under director Michael Bay in 2007. He subsequently reprised the role in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Transformers: The Last Knight, Bumblebee, and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
Cullen's connection to Transformers extended far beyond the movies. He voiced Prime across numerous animated series, including Transformers: Prime, Transformers: Rescue Bots, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, and Transformers: Titans Return. He also lent his unmistakable voice to the character in countless video games and other franchise projects. He was inducted into the Transformers Hall of Fame in 2010.
For generations of Disney fans, he was equally recognisable as Eeyore, the gloomy but lovable donkey from the Winnie the Pooh franchise. Cullen first took over the role in 1988 and continued voicing Eeyore across numerous animated films and television projects for decades.
Cullen also voiced Monterey Jack in Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers, K.A.R.R. in the original Knight Rider, and later reprised the latter role for the 2008 revival. His extensive animation credits included Voltron, G.I. Joe, The Pirates of Dark Water, Megas XLR, and numerous other series. He also starred in Invincible, voicing Great Thaedus.
For more than six decades, Cullen proved how much personality and emotion can be delivered through a voice performance. He made a giant transforming robot sound noble, and a depressed donkey sound endearing, and his take on Optimus Prime has defined his legacy for generations of Transformers fans.
Our thoughts go out to Cullen's family and friends at this difficult time. The actor discussed what inspired his approach to Optimus Prime in ComicBookMovie.com owner Nate Best's interview with the actor from 2014. You can watch it below.