Peter Cullen’s cause of death revealed after ‘Transformers’ voice actor dies at 85

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Peter Cullen’s cause of death has been revealed. The voice actor, best known for voicing Optimus Prime in 'Transformers' and Eeyore in 'Winnie the Pooh', has died at the age of 85.

As per PEOPLE, a death certificate has been obtained, showing that the actor died from cardiac arrest.

Cullen died on August 26 at his Los Angeles home. His death was announced by his family, who shared that the voice actor “passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family.”

Peter Cullen’s cause of death revealed

According to the publication, the basic cause of death was cardiac arrest, with respiratory arrest also listed as a significant factor.

Other significant conditions linked to his death included cerebellar metastasis, hypoxia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Malignant neoplasm of the lower lobe of the lung was also listed.

Even before the death certificate was released, Cullen’s family shared a statement saying that the actor was “held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide.”

“His family asks that you honor his remarkable legacy by serving your communities and leading others with compassion, integrity and loyalty, and always remember ‘be strong enough to be gentle,’” the statement continued.

How Peter Cullen became Optimus Prime’s voice

Cullen voiced Prime from the character’s creation. The actor once shared that he drew inspiration from his older brother, Larry, who was a US Marine and Vietnam War veteran.

Before the audition, when he was asked which role he was auditioning for, Cullen said he was going for the voice of Ironhide. Then Larry’s behavior changed, and he told him, “Don’t go yelling and screaming."

"Be 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.”

When he reached the audition, taking courage from what his brother had said, Cullen took pride in imagining the leader, aka Prime, and delivered the iconic line, “I am Optimus Prime.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cullen recalled, “I watched him and listened to him. I’d never had an opportunity to do a superhero, and when that came, [that voice] just came right out of me, and I sounded like Optimus.”

“If I can’t see the character, I don’t know what I’m gonna do. I have to have something to relate to, to put myself inside of,” Cullen added.