![]() But for thirty years, Peter Cullen has been best known as the commanding voice of Optimus Prime, first in the original Transformers cartoons, and later in the live-action movies, newer ’toons, and numerous video games. i’d rather say 'my friends.' They recognized what’s inside of me and I’ve recognized what’s inside of them and that is a bond of some kind.He was the voice of Eeyore on Winnie the Pooh, did gigantic gorilla grunts in 1976’s King Kong, and was even the announcer for The Smother Brothers Comedy Hour. I hate to say 'my fans.' it sound so grandiose. It is always a surprise to me because, how many people during an average day in their life get compliments? One of things I hold dearly in raising children and now grandchildren is that I've always found that encouraging somebody and caring enough to encourage and to never let them down is a wonderful feeling. They are a warm wonderful group of people and I think that pulls the feelings out of me because of their genuine appreciation, which is always humbling. I’ve met such a cross section of people over the years. I think most actors try to convey that. I studied acting when I was a young man (laughs) many years ago and realized that, if I infused honesty into my portrayal, then the reception would always be so much stronger.Ĭullen: I love them. And if I don’t feel honest about it, I will redo it.Ĭullen: Definitely. I think, of course, there are times you have to be emotional about it, but I’ve always believed less is more. I don’t venture very far from the concrete stable platform he has been conceived of. All I do is identify the traits and maintain them. ![]() Q: What are some of the challenges of expressing a character with just voice?Ĭullen: It’s not really that difficult. So it becomes a responsibility to never sway away or to vary the characterization. ![]() It's a gut feeling, you know, because they are totally sincere and I realize the affect I had years ago. Cullen, you know you raised me." My heart starts pumping in my chest. I’ve heard over the years, at a lot of the conventions I've gone to, "Mr. And he had had such an effect on a lot of kids lives back in the earlier '80s and especially for latchkey kids. ![]() Q: Have you ever resented the character that you have been so well known for?Ĭullen: On the contrary, you know Todd, he is such a special character to me because he represents so many great qualities. And about seven days later I got the part.Īll those many years ago that still sticks in my mind as one of most important moments in my career. what else am I going to do? I just impersonated Larry. Don’t do all the flashy Hollywood stuff, do it from your gut." And so I just did him . I said, "No he is a hero, he actually speaks." And he said, "Well if you are going to be a hero, Peter, be a real hero. He asked me where I was going and I said I was auditioning for a truck and he laughed and asked "what sound are you going to make?" I applied his advice on the day I went to interview for (Optimus Prime). We were very close all of our lives, and he was the one who inspired me to be a leader without shouting. He was a bronze star recipient as well as earned a couple of purple hearts. Q: What was your inspiration for performing for Optimus Prime?Ĭullen: I impersonated my brother Larry who was an officer in the Marine Corps who fought in Vietnam. ![]() I couldn’t do it on a regular basis for sure, but I will do it for someone who expresses a real deep enthusiasm for it, and it’s a pleasure to make someone happy in that way. Cullen: I have on occasion it is usually a very, very impromptu moment or perhaps a more formal gathering. ![]()
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