Peter Cullen was the man behind so many voices for a generation. He is now one with the matrix, having passed away on Wednesday August 26 at the age of 85.

In a statement from his family, they said:

(He) passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family — and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide.

They are asking fans to ” 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’.”

Cullen is best known as the voice of Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots in Transformers. That role alone spanned television and film, around 200 episodes for that character alone across multiple series as well as multiple films. He’s considered the definitive voice for the beloved character.

But beyond his iconic role as Optimus, Cullen was a part of so many different iconic series and roles, the list feels endless. If it was an animated series in the 80s, 90s, 00s, or 10s, it felt like Cullen was a part of it. Some of his notable roles are Red Skull in the 1981-82 Spider-Man animated series, Officer Ed in The Little Rascals, Sour Puss in Pac-Man, the narrator in Voltron: Defender of the Universe, Monterey Jack on Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, multiple roles on G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Ghostbusters, and Muppet Babies. He was also the voice of Eeyore in multiple video releases.

Beyond animation, he was the voice of K.A.R.R. on Knight Rider, King Kong in the 1976 King Kong film, the Mogwai in Gremlins, and the voice of the Predator in multiple Predator films. He also provided narration for movie trailers among other voice work.

Peter Cullen was born in Montreal in July 1941, one of four children. He was part of the first graduating class in 1963 of the National Theatre School of Canada where he studied acting under operatic coach Bernard Diamant. That lead to him doing Shakespeare for a summer in Stratford, Ontario and was part of The Crest Theatre in Toronto.

But out of everything, it was Optimus Prime that made his name known to kids and adults around the world.

The phenomenon of Transformers itself is mind-shaking,” he said. “Being a part of it is not only historical, it’s a part of your life that says, ‘Gee, I’m glad.’ I did something in my life that stood out, and I’m really grateful for that. Humbled by it.

He is survived by his children and will be remembered by his legion of fans.