Peter Cullen, the Canadian voice actor best known for playing Optimus Prime in the Transformers films, TV series and video games, has died at the age of 85.

His family said in a statement: "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.'"

Cullen was born in Montreal on 28 July 1941, and went on to attend the National Theatre School of Canada as a member of its first graduating class in 1963.

He later became a member of the repertory company at The Crest Theatre in Toronto for a year, worked as an announcer for Montreal radio station CKGM, and took on roles on Canadian TV and radio.

He then moved to Hollywood and started getting voice roles. He first played Optimus Prime in the animated Transformers series in 1984, a role he would continue to play for the rest of his life. He reprised the character in Michael Bay's films which were a huge hit at the box office, and last played the character in 2023's Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

Cullen also played Eeyore in many Winnie the Pooh projects, including the series The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and films such as The Tigger Movie, Piglet's Big Movie and Pooh's Heffalump Movie.

His other roles included voicing King Kong in the 1976 film, and originating the clicking sounds which come from the titular creature's mouths in the Predator franchise, having provided them in the first movie.

Another iconic voice role was that of Mario in the original Donkey Kong animated series in the 1980s, and, most recently, was he heard playing the crucial role of Thaedus in the Prime Video animated series Invincible.

He is survived by his four children, Clay, Angus, Claire and Pilar, and three grandchildren.