ICYMI - The Advice Behind Optimus Prime's Voice

Shane Hewitt and The Nightshift · Aug 28, 2026 · 9m

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…