Peter Cullen, the acclaimed Canadian voice actor best known for bringing the iconic character Optimus Prime to life in the Transformers franchise, has died at age 85.

Cullen died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, according to his agent, who confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter.

His family said Cullen died peacefully surrounded by loved ones and remembered him for a career that touched generations of fans around the world.

In a statement, the family encouraged admirers to honour his legacy “by serving your communities and leading others with compassion, integrity and loyalty and always remember ‘be strong enough to be gentle”.

Born in Montreal, Cullen became one of the most recognisable voices in animation and popular culture. His portrayal of Optimus Prime, the noble leader of the Autobots, spanned Transformers television series, films and video games and helped make the character a lasting pop-culture icon.

He was also widely known as the voice of Eeyore, the gloomy but beloved donkey from the Winnie the Pooh universe.

Beyond animation, Cullen’s vocal talents extended to some of Hollywood’s most memorable creatures and machines. He provided the voice of King Kong in the 1976 remake of the classic film and portrayed KARR, the evil counterpart to the famous talking car KITT, in the Knight Rider franchise in 1982 and again in 2009.

Cullen also played a role in creating the distinctive sound of the Predator creature in the 1987 action film Predator, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The frightening clicking noises associated with the alien hunter were among his memorable contributions to the movie.

Before establishing himself as a prominent voice performer, Cullen worked as a live-action actor and announcer, including for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.