Secrets About the Man Behind Optimus Prime’s Iconic Voice

Even if you’ve never seen a picture of him, chances are you’ve heard Peter Cullen’s voice at least once in a movie or TV show. Cullen has been a leading voice-over artist in Hollywood for more than five decades, and he’s voiced some of the most iconic characters in pop culture, including Optimus Prime from “Transformers.”

Cullen first voiced Optimus Prime in 1984 in the original animated “Transformers” series. He continued to voice the character in various TV series for years. When Michael Bay brought “Transformers” to the big screen in live-action, Cullen was back to voice Optimus Prime, delighting fans who appreciated his return.

Despite his lengthy career, many people don’t know much about Cullen himself. He has worked on numerous projects that even “Transformers” fans might not be aware of, making his life and career both interesting and inspiring.

Peter Cullen’s iconic voice may be well-known, but he discovered his vocal talents in an unlikely place. Born in Montreal, Quebec, Cullen grew up on a farm. In a 2014 interview with NPR, Cullen shared a story about finding his voice: “I made a loud noise and all the cows looked up at me. I walked down the center aisle with these cows looking at me and said, ‘This is fantastic.’ I must have been eight years old.”

Cullen went on to study at the National Theatre School of Canada, graduating in 1963. He began his career in radio before moving to television, continuously finding opportunities that helped solidify his career.

Though Peter Cullen is best known today for his voice roles, he started his career in the 1960s. He appeared on “Funny You Should Say That” on CBC Radio and transitioned to on-camera acting with the 1969 children’s show “The Buddies.” He continued to work as a radio announcer on nights and weekends, gaining valuable experience.

Through radio, Cullen got his start in on-camera acting and continued to land roles in TV series well into the 1970s. Notably, he worked on shows like “Comedy Café” and “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.” His work led him to voice roles, becoming his primary focus over time.

Beyond “Transformers,” Peter Cullen has lent his voice to numerous characters over the years. He voiced characters in “Spider-Man,” “Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo,” and “G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.” Notably, he also voiced the Mogwai and Gremlins in “Gremlins” and provided the roars for the 1976 remake of “King Kong.”

Surprisingly, Cullen also voiced the Predator in the 1987 film. Although uncredited, his distinctive clicking sounds made the Predator a memorable character. Cullen reprised this role in the “Alien vs. Predator: Evolution” video game, voicing three different types of Predators.

In his extensive career, Peter Cullen has voiced characters that might surprise many, including Eeyore. The beloved, melancholic donkey from “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” was voiced by Cullen from 1988 to 1991, and he continued to voice the character for decades.

Disney kept Cullen in the role for nearly 42 productions over 29 years. He most recently voiced Eeyore in an episode of “Doc McStuffins” and various films like “Pooh’s Heffalump Movie.” Cullen also voiced Eeyore in the video game “Piglet’s Big Game” in 2003, citing this as one of his favorite roles due to its ease on his vocal cords.

Peter Cullen’s brother, Larry, was the inspiration behind his iconic voice for Optimus Prime. Larry was a former U.S. Marine Corps captain who served in Vietnam. When preparing for the role, Cullen’s brother advised him to be a “real hero” who was “strong enough to be gentle.”

Cullen brought this advice to his audition and mimicked his brother’s voice, securing the role of Optimus Prime. His brother’s influence helped define Cullen’s career for the next four decades.

Peter Cullen voiced Optimus Prime across 31 different productions, including 13 video games, six live-action movies, and 12 TV series. He began with the original animated series and continued with “The Transformers: The Movie” and other shows throughout the ’80s.

After a 20-year gap, Cullen returned as Optimus Prime in Michael Bay’s 2007 live-action “Transformers” film. Since then, he has voiced the character in numerous other productions, making Optimus Prime a central part of his career.

While Peter Cullen has voiced Optimus Prime in many productions, he’s not the sole voice of the character. Hasbro chose to hire non-union workers for the development of “Transformers: Cyberverse,” leading them to replace Cullen with Jake Foushee in recent works such as “Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy.”

During a 2020 convention appearance, Cullen expressed his disappointment at being replaced, comparing it to “grand theft.” He criticized Netflix for not hiring union workers and shared his frustration at having to impersonate another actor for the “Bumblebee” movie.

“The Transformers” has had a significant cultural impact, with a film franchise earning over $2 billion in global ticket sales. Peter Cullen’s contribution to the franchise is notable, and in 2014, his handprints were added to the TCL Chinese Theater’s Walk of Fame in Los Angeles to honor his work.

The ceremony, held alongside the release of “Transformers: Age of Extinction” on home video, included impressive props and models from the film, cementing Cullen’s impact on the iconic franchise.