Peter Cullen, the Canadian voice actor who lent his vocals to the robots’ leader Optimus Prime, passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 85.

Cullen’s agent Kevin Motley confirmed the actor’s passing to The Hollywood Reporter, saying he died in his home. A statement from Cullen’s family said he had “died peacefully, surrounded by his loving family – and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide”.

Cullen was best known for playing the deep-voiced Optimus in the 1987 animated series and subsequent productions from the Transformers franchise. The actor’s performance as the character earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Programme in 2011, and he was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Children’s & Family Emmy Awards in 2023.

The actor voiced donkey Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh cartoons, King Kong in 1976, the monster in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 film Predator and the evil KARR in the Knight Rider series. He had credits in multiple animated series, including Chip ’n Dale Rescue Rangers, Spider-Man, Alvin & the Chipmunks, My Little Pony and Duck Tales.