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Peter Cullen, a man that needs no introduction to anyone here, has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2nd Annual Children's and Family Emmys this past weekend. The ceremony was originally part of the Daytime Emmys before recently spinning off into its own thing. And who better to present such an award to Optimus Prime than Megatron himself, Frank Welker?
This is a great way to kick off the 40th anniversary of the Transformers franchise which Peter has been a part of the entirety of. Since there's a real chance that you weren't sitting at home watching the presentation online you can watch Frank's presentation and Peter's acceptance speech on YouTube below uploaded by Optimus Production.
The Netflix Transformers War for Cybertron Siege series is being well recieved by many fans and critics but you may be curious as to what some of the most prominant Optimus Prime voice actors had to say about it.
Firstly we have Garry Chalk, who was the voice of Optimus Primal in Beast wars and the voice of Optimus Prime in the Unicron Trilogy. Here is what he stated on Facebook:
"Ok I watched the first episode of the new Transformers on Netflix .....um...
Everyone tries to sound like a tough guy and as a result they all have the same pace and delivery. Visually it's pretty good but I am sorry the voices were kind of low energy."
And then we have Peter Cullen who was asked how he felt about other people doing Optimus Prime back in March (when conventions were still a thing that happened). He specifically mentions the Netflix series when mentioning that it hurts that he isn't the one doing Optimus Prime and that it is wrong for the production to be using non union talent in order to cut costs. You can tell he cares deeply for the character he voices and his legacy. Now, while it may seem like he is speaking ill of other voice actors or of the idea of others being Prime, his emotional responses are really towards the producers who are using cost cutting tactics that may hurt actors' wellfare in general. Frank Welker, the voice of G1 Megatron, also shares how wrong he feels it is for others to be hired when the known voice actors are available and willing to work.
We've received a notification of a guest reveal at Fanboy Expo in Knoxville this year, thanks to its organisers, featuring one of the staple voices of the Transformers franchise, but well known for his work in several other series: Frank Welker!
Read on more below, and head to the event's site for more information and tickets. The event runs on 12-14 July 2019, so you still have a decent amount of time.
Frank Welker is best known is best known for voicing iconic characters Fred Wilson and Scooby-Doo in the ScoobyDoo franchises which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2019. He is also Megatron in the Transformer series and movie franchises. In addition he has voiced hundred of other characters on series such as The Real Ghostbusters, Garfield, Futurama, The Smurfs, Aladdin, GI Joe, Super Friends and many more! which For his complete filmography click here to visit his imdb profile.
Recently Den of Geek did an interview with the one and only Peter Cullen. In the article he talks about his role as Optimus Prime and Ironhide throughout the franchise, including the most recent Titans Return animated series. He reflects on the moment when he got word that Optimus would be written out of the Transformers: The Movie (1986). He goes on to talk about how he portrays Optimus and Ironhide in the live action films by Michael Bay.
He later gives some advice in the article to those who aspire to be voice actors. It is worth the read for those who are thinking about being the voice of a character in a show. If you would like to check out Peter Cullen's latest work, Transformers Prime Wars: Titans Return is available on Go90.com.
I was a 1980s kid, and I remember seeing Transformers: The Movie and just being devastated by the death of Optimus Prime. How did you first find out about this plot point, and after Optimus died did you find yourself grieving for the character?
I was stunned when I first read about it. I was reading the script, getting ready to go into recording. I was with Frank Welker and I got to the page, and I just read it and when the dust settled in my brain, i said "wait a minute, this is it, I’m not coming back. Oh damn." Or whatever curse words were available at the time, I chose those that were appropriate.
It was disappointment for sure. As an actor you either learn to put up with rejections or disappointments or you’ll break, you'll succumb. I'm used to that. Most actors are used to that, getting hired for something that means a lot to them. You hope, you hope, you hope. Your hopes shouldn't be dashed because you didn’t get the part. But in my case I was a little disgruntled because there was no explanation, there was no intended meaning behind it, other than years later to find out they were just trying to create a new character to sell more toys. But at the time you interpret that as being “my character sucks, God I must have been terrible in this role.”
We didn’t get fan mail. I never received a letter of fan mail although I was told it did come. And we didn’t have the internet so there was no thermomenter to judge how popular or unpopular something was. So move on, go on to the next job.
Of course now you realize how beloved Optimus is. Jumping ahead a few years when you were first cast for the Michael Bay Transformers movie, was your approach to the film version of Optimus different than his cartoon counterpart?
I think the answer is a two-fold answer. The character traits were ultimately for me going to be the same, but how to enact them and make the change from a small television screen with painted pictures to a full-on, blown up 45-foot character who is talking to human beings in real-life form in a believable way, that was something that had to be contended with. And I might add that Michael Bay and the people in his department were very concerned whether or not Peter Cullen could act. In other words could he act in a real-life situation and the way they were going to conceive it and portray it?
I had to audition a total of three times, they weren’t quite convinced. I don’t blame them, because at the audition Michael asked me if I played any other characters and I said yes, I played Ironhide and Ironhide had a scene with Optimus Prime. There was a girl reading Ironhide not giving it any dimension. I assumed that Michael Bay was at least aware of some of these characters so I said “if you don’t mind I’d like to read that part, I did him two and half years on the television series." She said ok.
With another episode in the Machinima animated series Transformers Titans Return now available, we also have yet another interview with voice actor and Transformers legend Peter Cullen - the voice of Optimus Prime in the series along with many others - courtesy of Comic Book.com!
The brief conversation can be found below, and you can head here for the full piece. Make sure to check back later on Seibertron.com for a review of the latest episode, too.
During a conversation about Transformers: Titans Return, a webseries that brings Cullen back together with Transformers: The Movie co-star Judd Nelson and other legendary Transformers names, the voice acting legend (who long played Eeyore in Disney's Winnie the Pooh franchise) recalled the wild days of early Transformers seasons when none of the cast were sure anyone was watching.
“I’m a Generation One fan, always have been for many reasons, obviously,” Cullen told ComicBook.com. “It’s the beginning and a successful beginning and a continuing journey of success. Generation One, to see it all happening that way again, reminds me sentimentally of the old days. The only thing missing is the cast; I don’t work with the full cast the way that we used to. I miss the days when we would have laugh attacks and production would shut down for five or six minutes due to everyone laughing so hard they couldn’t stop. Those were the days that I cherished.”
He added that in those early days, working with people like Mel Blanc (in some non-Transformers work) and Frank Welker (Megatron), he was constantly floored by the level of talent that he was working with, even if animation was still considered something of an acting ghetto at that time.
“These creative minds, these vocal geniuses playing multiple characters, inventing them, there’s no greater thrill to be sitting and recording with people who are that capable. You’re just in awe; it’s jaw-dropping,” Cullen said. “I have great appreciation for them; and it's great to get someone like Judd Nelson back. What a great, talented person and a special kind of human being. His approach to acting is a great, great asset to the franchise. We don’t have much opportunity to work with too many other people, but Frank Welker I do. We convene together at conventions, et cetera, and we get an opportunity to back and forth with each other, which is laugh-attack-ville.”
Not too long after the last interview with Peter Cullen about his role as Optimus Prime in Machinima's Titans Return animated series, we have another one with the great man, coming from the LA Times! The questions cover how he first landed the role back in the days of Generation One; the changes to the voice-acting process over time since he started his career; his bond with frequent (though not present in Machinima's series) voice of Megatron, Frank Welker; and even more!
The article doesn't touch too much on Machinima's series specifically, but it nonetheless contains a fair few interesting tidbits about Cullen's role, and his feelings on the current acting environment in animation. Check out a couple excerpts below, and of course read the full interview here! And as always, stick around Seibertron.com for more news and coverage of Machinima's series (like our review of the recently-released third episode) as it happens!
Did you ever think you'd see the Transformers characters as characters in a live-action/CGI movie?
No. Not really — especially after the 1986 [animated] movie because I was killed off. Frankly I didn't pay much attention to the show after that. I may have checked out a few [episodes] while I was doing it, but I had a family of my own. And my kids — my son — was not interested in cartoons and animation. He was a motocross and jet ski guy. He was not a sit-at-home-and-watch-TV kid. So I didn't get any feedback for years!
Your animation nemesis — voice actor Frank Welker — isn't in this latest Transformers iteration, but playing against his Megatron for so many years must have created a special bond.
A great bond. There's something about voiceover actors ... they're really underestimated and taken for granted. When I'm in a room with these talented guys ... they're really talented people and humble people. They're just marvelous people. Judd Nelson, who did Rodimus Prime or Hotrod in the newest series, what a great guy. Sensational human being and great talent. A great intellectual approach to a lot of his characters. And Frank — that's a bond that has lasted decades. It's such a privilege to be in a room with those people.
A lot of voiceover now is done, as you said, on a microphone in someone's home nowadays. Most would imagine that performing in-studio with other actors adds a different tone as opposed to being strictly digital.
The way I would express it would be like if you played on a football team and you weren't in the main locker room getting ready for a game around all the other players. You were just put in a room with your uniform and told to meet up on the field. You're missing 98% of the whole thing. You're missing the team, the camaraderie , the energy, the spirits, the willingness to combine efforts together and produce something good. When you're with a full group, you're inspired. And not only that, but the amount of laughter that ensued was just — you can't describe it. If it was school, we'd all be staying in detention.
Because it is so recognizable, have you ever thought of your voice as a liability in terms of getting other roles?
No. I never use Optimus Prime's voice for anything else. I studied voice, so I know I can get down and [lowers his voice] add the timber. It's just something I was capable of doing and I've never looked back.The voice is an instrument like any other. It's just about how you play it.
You should be aware by now that the second animated series from Hasbro and Machinima featuring the Transformers, Titans Return, is being released in the US on the go90 app platform - and surely soon to follow for non-US viewers by other means, like its predecessor Combiner Wars. Our review of the first episode can be read here, and a review of the second will be making its way to the front page later today, too.
With that covered, you may want some more behind the scenes material, and Collider is here to provide the content - namely, an interview conducted and coordinated via Twitter with the voice of Optimus Prime, Peter Cullen, returning to the franchise once more after the live-action movies and the animated shows Robots in Disguise and Rescue Bots. Check out some selected parts below, and read the whole piece here - which touches on a lot more than Titans Return, but always in a Peter Cullen and Optimus Prime shape!
It’s impossible to separate you from Optimus Prime, having voiced the character for over 30 years, but looking into the far-off future, what would make you step away from voicing Optimus?
Cullen: Yeah, well that’s been done before. I’ve already rehearsed that scene. [laughs] I’ve only done five movies since then, so it’s not like we’re talking, in terms of expansive years, since 1986, I’ve done a few games, Machinima, the second series now with them. Other than that, it’s been a very frugal way of making a living as Optimus Prime. What’s in store for him, I don’t know. But I’m not willing to give it up as long as it’s popular and people care for it. I would respect that part and continue on without much debate. But whether or he’s going to? I don’t know. I can’t speak for the multitude of people who are behind the steering wheel of this huge machine. If it all goes well, I’ll be doing it for years to come!
What was his reaction to being approached to play Optimus prime
Cullen: Elation, because I had waited a couple of weeks, which is not uncommon when you’re auditioning for a series and when they inform you that you have that role or that part. But more to the point, I had no idea who Optimus Prime was outside of the small audition that I did. In those days, back in the 80s, we were constantly doing cartoons, Frank Welker and I. We would meet at auditions sometimes or end up on a show and say, “Hey! You got a gig? So did I! That’s great!” That’s how we met by the way. Over the years, you try to add up all those feelings and say, “What actually happened?”
I remember the audition, I remember doing an impersonation of my brother who was a Marine, and heeding his advice, not to be an a-hole. Be real, don’t be Hollywood, that kind of thing. An audition that lasted perhaps a few minutes ended up changing my world, my life. That character has affected many different people’s lives in many different ways; I’m always overwhelmed by that, humbled by it, to tell you the truth.
[...]
What’s his favorite moment or scene as Optimus
Cullen: I would probably have least-favorite scenes. [laughs] I would include, the most important one, when I did the death scene. The other ones are doing all the screaming, yelling, blood-throat scenes; those are my least favorite. My most favorite scenes, which they don’t do enough, are when he’s written to express compassion and understanding. They never really want to express that level of Prime, which I thought was his most important, valuable trait.
Collider has posted a new interview with Transformers Legends Frank Welker and Peter Cullen, the longtime fan-favorite voices of Megatron and Optimus Prime! You can check out the full interview by following the above link, or read up on some snippets below, where the 2 legends talk about their ever evolving voice acting, the differences between providing voices for cartoons and movies, and more!
While most of their fans likely know the duo from their Transformers work, Cullen and Welker actually go back even further than that:
Peter Cullen: We go back to a cartoon series called Mighty Man and Yukk. [1979]
Frank Welker: Ah yes, yes, yes.
Cullen: And that’s when I first met Frank. But Frank had met me many, many times because he used to go to hockey games and I served hot dogs. [laughs]
Welker: I was a big fan of Peter’s. I used to watch him on the Sonny and Cher show when he did that little character up front. I did not know it was Peter at the time, but when I heard him doing that…
Cullen: The little man in the ball?
Welker: Yeah, the little man in the ball and those sound effects. I thought, whoever this is, I think I’m going to retire, he’s just too good.
.....
Obviously they’ve done both Transformers movies and TV shows. Here’s the biggest difference between those performances:
Cullen: One of the most obvious, for me, was when we did the cartoon series, we’d all be together in a small recording booth. It would be 8 to 10 characters staring into the glass with the director on the other side with the sound men. With the feature film, it was always working one-on-one with Michael Bay, the sound engineer, and a camera on your lips. So, yes, they were very, very different.
Welker: As Peter was saying, when you have a cast, you kind of play off each other. You can build … almost like a play, because obviously you read it as a play, so you have this nice interaction. When we did the series, standing next to Peter was always a benefit because you really get into it. You’re going hand-to-hand, but physically, you get the feeling of that person being there.
.....
With on-the-job hazards like that, you might wonder how Cullen and Welker have stayed healthy in this business for so long:
Welker: Early in my life, I probably abused my voice more than I should have. It is an instrument. You need to take care of yourself. If you have a session the next day, go to bed early, do vocal warm-ups on the way to the studio, that’s just about all you can do.
Cullen: My mom used to say, “Peter, don’t do this, you’re going to ruin your voice! It’s going to stay like that!” But when I was an acting student, I studied under an operatic coach named Bernard Diamant from New York. He described the basic instrument, as we all have, the human voice. I was particularly impressed with a remark that he made: A baby, when it’s born, has the most perfect vocal ability. Opera singers study to get back to that for years through the use of your diaphragm, the expansion of air in your chest and lungs, the use of tonal cavities that are built into your upper chest and your head.
The other experience you may not have taken part in is the VIP event that took place on the Saturday evening of Hascon, the one that included the Hall of Fame inductions for Susan Blu and Lorenzo di Bonaventura, the Transformers: The Last Knight panel with Mark Wahlberg, Isabela Moner, di Bonaventura, Frank Welker and Peter Cullen, the Power of the Primes reveals of the Terrorcons and more with Takara Tomy and Hasbro designers - such as Shogo Hasui, Takashi Kunihiro, Hideaki Yoke, plus John Warden, and others - and the Toy and Character Hall of Fame reveals!
The Stan Bush concert at the end of the night is not included in this recording, but you can join Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner and the host for the evening, plus site owner Seibertron in the full VIP evening events in the video below!
We know that many Seibertronians had considered attending Hascon, but were not able to actually make it in person, so Seibertron.com has strived to bring you an idea of what the event looked like in first person, with a walkthrough of the floors and the brand experiences laid out by Hasbro - featuring Magic the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, My Little Pony, Star Wars, Disney Princess, Marvel, Nerf, and more (but missing GI Joe, Dropmix and Hascade, due to time constraints!) - in a 20 minute clip! Follow our own Seibertron as he takes a look at all the areas, and enjoy the official images provided by Hasbro themselves collected in our gallery below, featuring the likes of James Gunn, Mark Wahlberg, Frank Welker, Peter Cullen, Maddie Ziegler, Isabella Moner, Brandin Cook, and more!
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