Peter Cullen, the actor who voiced the Autobots leader Optimus Prime in “Transformers” and Eeyore in several “Winnie-the-Pooh” projects, died on Wednesday, his agent Kevin Motley confirmed. He was 85.

Cullen passed at his family home in Los Angeles, “surrounded by his loving family – and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide,” his family said in a statement.

“His family asks that you honor his remarkable legacy by serving your communities and leading others with compassion, integrity, and loyalty and always remember ‘be strong enough to be gentle,’”

the family statement continued.

---

A prolific voice actor whose credits numbered in the hundreds, Cullen’s most distinctive role was as Optimus Prime across several “Transformers” shows, films and video games. He originated the Autobots leader’s deep, authoritative voice in the 1980s animated series “The Transformers,” which captured the war between the Autobots and Decepticons and spawned a subsequent feature film.

He has also voiced many other characters across a wide variety of popular media, including Eeyore in the Winnie the Poohfranchise, Monterey Jack in Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, the first voice of KARR in Knight Rider and the vocalizations of the title character in Predator. In 2007, Cullen returned to the role of Optimus Prime in Transformers media, starting with the first live-action film.