Happy 80th birthday to Optimus Prime voice actor Peter Cullen

By Helene - 04 August 2021

Transformers fans have taken to social media to celebrate the 80th birthday of Peter Cullen, the voice of Optimus Prime in the series.

 

Peter Cullen voiced Optimus Prime not only in the G1 animation, but also in this year's 35th anniversary transformers Movie, as well as in All five of Michael Bay's live-action Transformers movies, Bumblebee, and even next year's Transformers: Rise of the Mighty.


Peter Cullen was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1941. He spent his early career working in radio, where he honed his sound skills. Peter Cullen recalled auditioning for Transformers in the early 1980s when he saw optimus Prime in the script and declared, "This is the chance of a lifetime."

 

In addition to being the voice of Optimus Prime and Tin Tin in Transformers, he has also been the voice of animated films such as G.I. Joe, Lion, and predator in the live action movie predator! (Modified by netizens' reminder)


Cullen recalled that Optimus prime's distinctive voice was influenced by his older brother Larry, who once told him, "Pete, don't be a Hollywood superhero, be a real superhero. Real superheroes don't yell or act tough. They're strong enough inside, so they have to be gentle in their voices and in control."

 

"My brother was a superhero to me. He was a man," he said. I'm never going to be a superhero. My hero complex is optimus Prime."