Inside Transformers' Original Optimus Prime Lives A Real Life Hero
If there's one voice that means "heroism" to me, it's Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime in the "Transformers" franchise. Cullen's performance has been compared to John Wayne; especially in his early days voicing the character, there's a no-nonsense drawl to Optimus' voice. However, Cullen told MTV News in 2007 that he wasn't deliberately drawing on Wayne; it just came out that way:
"John Wayne has a deep-end voice and for a truck to have a high voice would be ridiculous. So I had to give him that basic imprint of the low-end voice. John Wayne was never intended to be the sound."
Cullen's real influence was something more personal; his older brother, H.L. "Larry" Cullen. The older Cullen brother was a decorated Marine Corps captain and veteran of the Vietnam War (with a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts to his name).
Peter Cullen has told this story many times (including once at TFCon 2015). Some background: Larry and Peter were born only 13 months apart and so they had always been very close. They were even roommates in 1984 when Peter was cast as Optimus Prime. Before Peter went to his audition, he and his brother shared a chat. They initially laughed about how the part was a truck, but when Peter mentioned the character was supposed to be a leader and a hero too, Larry gave him some formative advice:
"Peter, if you're going to be a hero, be a real hero. Don't be a Hollywood hero type with all the BS and all the screaming and yelling and trying to be tough. Be strong enough to be gentle."
Peter Cullen has carried that advice with him since in his decades-long career voicing Prime.
Larry Cullen lives on
As Peter Cullen tells it, his brother's advice may well have been the reason he ended up successfully landing the role:
"[Larry's] voice is ringing in my ears as I'm driving to the audition. And I read the copy and Larry is just coming out. His voice, the way he talked to me [...] The softness in his advisory tone was significant, so the words just rolled off my tongue [...] I wish Larry had been here, I think he would've been proud of me because I think I nailed it. I really think I've nailed the character because it was just Larry."
The casting directors agreed and Cullen officially got the part about two weeks later. His performance is also the reason why '80s kids loved Optimus Prime so much; he wasn't just a cool action figure, he was fatherly. Hence, the well-publicized heartbreak when Optimus died, and the quick reversal to appease the saddened kids and their angry parents.
Not all heroes are as immortal as Optimus Prime, sadly. Larry Cullen passed away on March 25, 2011, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery; the "Transformers: Prime" episode "Partners" was dedicated to his memory. Therein lies one other reason why Cullen keeps coming back to voice Optimus Prime, most recently in this year's "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts." Back in 2019, he told Business Insider: "He's still alive in my mind today because every time I do Prime, there's my brother Larry."
I'd like to close with a fitting quote from a sacrificial Optimus Prime:
"Above all, do not lament my absence, for in my spark, I know that this is not the end, but merely a new beginning. Simply put ... another transformation."