Peter Cullen, the Canadian voice actor whose commanding baritone brought Optimus Prime to life for generations of Transformers fans, has died aged 85. Cullen died peacefully at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday, 26 August, according to his agent, Kevin Motley. His family was with him, but a cause of death was not disclosed.
His death has renewed interest in the deeply personal story behind Optimus Prime's voice. Cullen based the character not on a fictional superhero, but on his older brother Larry, a US Marine Corps veteran who served in Vietnam.
