Canadian voice actor Peter Cullen, best known for voicing Eeyore and Optimus Prime, has died, surrounded by his family, they announced in a statement17:50, 27 Aug 2026Updated 18:26, 27 Aug 2026The voice of Eeyore and Optimus Prime has died. Peter Cullen, who lent his voice to the iconic character, died aged 85, at his home in Los Angeles, his family said.‌In a statement, they confirmed he died on Wednesday. The family said: "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 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'." His cause of death is not yet known.‌Cullen launched his career as Optimus Prime in the original Transformers TV series back in 1984, before returning for the Hollywood film franchise between 2007 and 2023, as well as various other spin-offs.He was also the voice of the lovable Eeyore in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in the late 1980s, before appearing in a string of related films, games and other shows.‌Other career highlights include KARR, the counterpart to KITT in Knight Rider; the vocalisations of The Predator in the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie; and that iconic roar of King Kong in 1976.The late star launched his career on Canadian TV and radio before becoming a regular on The Sonny and Cher Show. He later decided to step back to focus on his voice-acting career.Speaking about his career, Peter previously revealed that Optimus Prime was inspired by his brother, an American Marine and Vietnam War veteran, who said he should play the character as a "real hero," rather than a Hollywood hero.‌He said previously: "He [my brother] said, 'Don't go yelling and screaming. He's strong enough to be gentle.' And that resonated with me, and I could hear his voice all the way to the audition. When he drops down, when he gets serious, is where I found Optimus Prime."Peter later gave his brother a cut of the money he earned playing Optimus Prime until his death. It was this role that saw Peter land a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Programme in 2011. Just three years ago, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Children's & Family Emmy Awards in 2023.His other roles included voicing Monterey Jack in Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, as well as characters in the 1980s and 1990s, in Spider-Man, Alvin & the Chipmunks, Dungeons & Dragons, Duck Tales, Gummi Bears, My Little Pony and Donkey Kong.Article continues belowTributes have since poured in online, with one fan writing: "RIP Peter Cullen, my Transformers Optimus Prime." A second wrote: "He might have been known as Optimus Prime to most people, but I'll always remember Peter Cullen as the voice of Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh, especially New Adventures. Rest in Peace, Peter.""May his memory be a blessing. He was a very talented voice actor and brought a lot of feeling behind the characters he voiced, said another.Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.