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ICYMI - The Advice Behind Optimus Prime's Voice
Description
Peter Cullen's death has hit lifelong fans harder than most people expected, and this Throwback Thursday traces where that voice actually came from, starting with a piece of advice from his brother that shaped how he played Optimus Prime for decades.
Before Transformers, Peter Cullen was an overnight radio DJ in Montreal, working swing shifts on a station that still has a connection to the show today. A lifetime Emmy speech built around that same advice brought a room to tears, and it explains more about the character than most fans realize.
Peter Cullen's voice also turns up in roles nobody connects to him, including a soft-spoken donkey and one of the most unexpected sounds in a classic action film. Together they show just how far one voice actually travelled.
Topics: Peter Cullen, Optimus Prime, CKGM Montreal, Predator voice, Eeyore
Originally aired on 2026-08-27