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Peter Cullen, voice of Optimus Prime, dies at 85

tvAug 27, 20261366,927

With Peter Cullen’s death on Aug. 26, the moment coalesced around his voice as Optimus Prime and the personal steadiness it gave generations. Many posts replay his signature line reads and the credo "Be strong enough to be gentle," recalling how Optimus served as a proxy father figure and the 1986 trauma over Optimus Prime’s death that feels freshly repeated now. Specific memories include Cullen moved to tears after an ovation at Botcon 2004, his warm Eeyore work in Winnie the Pooh, and a colleague noting a recent recording room moment with Frank Welker. People describe being inspired by his kindness to pursue voice work and by instances when Cullen offered small, memorable kindnesses in person.

Vangelus
@vangelus.bsky.social

often I think back to Botcon 2004, and how Peter Cullen's panel received such ovation that he was moved to tears, in part because it was recognition for a role that had at the time been so far behind him feeling so fortunate to have seen him back then, because I also got to see him afterwards

30645d ago
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