r/movies • u/mrjohnnymac18 • Aug 27 '26
News 'Transformers' Voice Actor Peter Cullen Dead at 85
https://www.tmz.com/2026/08/27/peter-cullen-dead/1.3k
u/Strategist40 Aug 27 '26
Will always remember that story where his brother Larry, when Peter was auditioning for Optimus, told him to voice Optimus as someone who is strong enough to be gentle.
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u/ContinuumGuy Aug 27 '26
That I think is what made Cullen's Optimus special in a way that transcended the material. Yes, it was a show about robots that transformed into trucks and jets. Yes, it was just made to sell toys. But he gave Optimus a dignity, an honor, that made you want to jump into the television screen and follow him into hell. And the best voice actors who followed him voicing Prime or similar characters like Primal have followed his example, making the character a timeless creation.
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u/DaystromAndroidM510 Aug 27 '26
Optimus Prime was a positive male role model for so many of us. Yeah he shot lasers and had a sick glowing axe, but he was also consistently supportive, compassionate and understanding. Cullen's acting was absolutely essential in that.
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u/HolycommentMattman Aug 27 '26
It's why the Bay movies were such a betrayal of all that. Megatron actually brokered peace in the 3rd one, and Optimus backstabs him!
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u/The_Man_of_Steel Aug 27 '26
Optimus just fucking loves killing in those movies
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u/insanecrossfire Aug 27 '26
He’s an absolute war criminal from the forest fight in revenge of the fallen to the end of dark of the moon (I pretend no movies exist in that universe after 3) but man was he fucking badass.
“We’re gonna kill them all” in the beginning of the battle of Chicago is so badass.
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u/PorcupineWarriorGod Aug 27 '26
I pretend no movies exist in that universe after
The only movie from that universe that I recognize is Bumblebee.
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u/papipepperooni Aug 27 '26
tbf megatron stabbed him in the back first, bro DIED to that. it's not quite true to optimus' character but it's a justified crashout LMFAO
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u/GoredonTheDestroyer Aug 27 '26
That, and his mentor, Sentinel Prime, already stabbed Optimus in the back less than a week prior.
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u/NaRaGaMo Aug 27 '26
he was backstabbed by megatron a lot of times, it was completely valid
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u/DogOwner12345 Aug 27 '26
For some reason a bunch of people think Optimus is supposed to be a pacifist when he has literally never acted as one. He's a warrior who fights for freedom and does not hold back against those who shown otherwise.
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u/Reverse_Speedforce Aug 28 '26
To be fair, Megatron 100% deserved that and Prime made the right call, Megatron would've 1000% broke that peace in no time after that.
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u/david-saint-hubbins Aug 27 '26
I feel similarly about Kevin Conroy as Batman--his explanation of how being a gay man informed his performance as a character who has to inhabit dual, hidden identities makes so much sense in retrospect. Watching it as a kid, it was just a fantastic cartoon, but it's only now, decades later, that I can fully appreciate just how much depth he brought to his performance.
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u/gotthelowdown Aug 27 '26
I feel similarly about Kevin Conroy as Batman--his explanation of how being a gay man informed his performance as a character who has to inhabit dual, hidden identities makes so much sense in retrospect. Watching it as a kid, it was just a fantastic cartoon, but it's only now, decades later, that I can fully appreciate just how much depth he brought to his performance.
Thanks for sharing that. Really adds more levels to his great performance.
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u/AnEmptyKarst Aug 27 '26
Also why the Hasbro call to kill him off in the 1986 movie hit people harder than they had expected. He had essentially given Optimus a voice as a second father figure to the kids watching the show (if not first father figure, of course).
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u/simplycass Aug 27 '26
Stories about kids crying in the theater, a boy who locked himself in his room for two weeks, tons of nasty mail.
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u/Dickis88 Aug 27 '26
Larry was also a Vietnam vet and Peter's voice for Optimus was based on how Larry's voice became much softer and stoic after coming back from the war.
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u/Dycon67 Aug 27 '26
" Till all are one "
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u/JamesFromToronto Aug 27 '26
TILL ALL ARE ONE!
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u/Quadradisque Aug 27 '26 edited Aug 27 '26
Oh ya gotta be fucking kidding me. 3 days in a row that a major figure in the entertainment industry dies. Dolly Tuesday, Curry Wed., and now the voice of the entire Transformers franchise today?
Edit*: and to add, Peter wasn’t just the recognizable voice of Optimus Prime, he’s a bona fide voice actor in his own right
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u/ZaryaBubbler Aug 27 '26
Not to mention Eeyore. Literally the voice of so many childhoods
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u/OmegaRainicorn Aug 27 '26
Thanks for noticing.
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u/eg_taco Aug 27 '26
That's right. You'll like Owl. He flew past a day or two ago and noticed me. He didn't actually say anything, mind you, but he knew it was me. Very friendly of him. Encouraging.
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u/l0rD_tAcHaNkA44 Aug 27 '26
Original Predator too.
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u/CarterCage Aug 27 '26
I remember watching a video where he explained how he got the idea for the sound, because his voice cord was bleeding from previous movie…
What a legend…
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u/awsome855 Aug 27 '26
He also was amazing in Invincible - obviously a lot more recent and (hopefully) not a voice for many childhoods, but he was still doing some amazing work recently.
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u/demmka Aug 27 '26
Tim Curry died the same day as Dolly but his team decided to wait until Wednesday to announce out of respect for Dolly 🥲
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u/musthavecupcakes_19 Aug 27 '26
He passed away at 10:45pm, so I think it was more of a matter of waiting until the morning to break the news
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u/CTeam19 Aug 27 '26
Might not be his team but rather the family wanted to notify everyone they wanted before making a public announcement.
Buddy Holly's wife found out about his death via the news and she ended up having a miscarriage. It is the reason the name of a dead person isn't released until the family had been notified.
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u/budbud70 Aug 27 '26
Regardless of what else he did.
This man WAS Optimus Prime.
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u/AlwaysBi Aug 27 '26
With the All Spark gone, we cannot return life to our planet. And fate has yielded its reward: a new world to call home. We live among its people now, hiding in plain sight, but watching over them in secret, waiting, protecting.
I have witnessed their capacity for courage, and though we are worlds apart, like us, there's more to them than meets the eye.
I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars. We are here. We are waiting.
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u/Sparrowhawk_92 Aug 27 '26
🎶What I've dooone🎶
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Aug 27 '26
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u/philliplennon Aug 27 '26
To Cross Out What I’ve Become.
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u/Preform_Perform Aug 27 '26
I still hold the opinion that the first Transformers movie is phenomenal.
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u/insanecrossfire Aug 28 '26
It is phenomenal, it holds up very well too. The acting and writing for both the human storyline and the transformers works the best by far than any film that came after. The final city battle is sick as hell, the humans who are assisting are doing completelyyyyy unbelievable things. It’s a great blockbuster film.
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u/brpw_ Aug 27 '26
I still remember seeing this for the first time in cinemas; one of my favourite cinematic experiences ever. What a movie.
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u/magnusarin Aug 27 '26
I am absolutely gutted. Second time Optimus's death has traumatized me. Right before all the 40th anniversary stuff kicked off for the movie too.
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u/DaystromAndroidM510 Aug 27 '26
The mother fuckers in the TMZ article had the audacity to use a picture of dead Optimus from the movie, as if I'm even over THAT death. I saw it in the theater when I was a kid and didn't remember any of the rest of the movie. My world crashed and there was nothing but a black void until the credits rolled
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u/SilverKry Aug 27 '26
I feel kinda obligated to go see it now. Though I was going to anyways.
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u/Top_Report_4895 Aug 27 '26
Don’t play a shouty action hero; be strong enough to be gentle.’
Rest in peace, Peter Cullen
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u/thewildlopez22 Aug 27 '26
The week from hell continues
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u/much_to_say Aug 27 '26
The people who said they come in threes, hoping it’d be the orange turd, only for it to be another beloved person...
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u/xTheRedDeath Aug 27 '26
It's not even 3 this month. It's 4.
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u/much_to_say Aug 27 '26 edited Aug 27 '26
These three happened in the span of 48 hours.
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u/xTheRedDeath Aug 27 '26
They did, but this whole "People die in threes" thing is ridiculous because everyone moves the goalpost to fit it lol.
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u/Mig1997 Aug 27 '26
This week is an absolute attack on my childhood man FUCK
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u/relevantelephant00 Aug 27 '26
Fucking seriously! I grew up in the mid 80s to mid 90s and all 3 of these celebrities were a big part of my childhood via music, movies and cartoons. Fuck you, 2026...fuck. you. Do the right thing and take down the one we all want.
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u/brahbocop Aug 27 '26
I remember when he was cast in the Bay movies and breathing a huge sigh of relief. I was afraid they'd cast a big time Hollywood name to put on the poster, instead, just let Optimus Prime himself be the draw, with Cullen being a big reason why Prime still put butts in seats.
RIP.
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u/doktor-frequentist Aug 27 '26
Sam Neill, Dolly Parton, Tim Curry. Now Peter Cullen.
Fuck off, grim reaper. Just fuck off.
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u/Sean_1417 Aug 27 '26
Hayden Pannetiere too. What a month
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u/doktor-frequentist Aug 27 '26
Oh heck how could I have forgotten that? That was shocking. Such a young person.
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u/Dr_Disaster Aug 27 '26
God damn tragic she was so young. I’ve always been a huge fan of hers since Malcom in the Middle.
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u/wheelz_666 Aug 27 '26
Robert Duvall, Oliver tree, James Vanderbeek too :(
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u/joecarter93 Aug 27 '26
Catherine O’Hara and the Pigeon Lady from HA2
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u/IndyMLVC Aug 27 '26
Bad year for Home Alone 2. Be a shame if that continued.
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u/_buffy_summers Aug 27 '26
Nicholas Brendon and Daveigh Chase also died this year. So did my husband.
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u/Mr_smith1466 Aug 27 '26
We're rapidly reaching 2016 levels of depression in regards to beloved people dying.
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u/RKRagan Aug 27 '26
If they make it past 80 I feel like it’s not a tragedy to be upset over when they pass. Tim Curry’s life wasn’t that great since his stroke and he said in his interview that he was ready for it. Even if it scared him.
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u/Stoned_Gandalf420 Aug 27 '26 edited Aug 27 '26
Fuck. RIP Peter Cullen. A voice that will be remembered by many generations. His Optimus Prime will always be the best put to screen for me, no idea how anyone can fill those shoes after this. His voice acting as Thaddeus in Invincible too was fantastic. Terrible news. What a horrific week.
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Aug 27 '26
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u/pissedoffjesus Aug 27 '26
Actually we lost Hayden, Dolly, tim, yayoi and this dude. There is probably more that haven't been as publicised, but jesus christ, it's a wave of death right now.
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u/Top_fFun Aug 27 '26
Frank Beard from ZZ Top too.
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u/HellPigeon1912 Aug 27 '26
Without even getting into what's happened in Nepal
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u/SameIdea70 Aug 27 '26
This is bullshit because my grandma died this week so this is #4 for me
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u/Layden87 Aug 27 '26
Hayden, Dolly, Tim....This is the start of a new trifecta.
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u/Helljumper1005 Aug 27 '26
Look, I don't know if some new Grim Reaper just got hired and they're trying to make a name for themselves in some way, but they need to chill tf out.
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u/Praetor66 Aug 27 '26
Dude is the new transfer who is headhunting and pulling cheap shots in practice, while going 110% in walk-throughs...
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u/ballsmigue Aug 27 '26
Jesus christ. God i was kidding when I said "whose next tomorrow!" After hearing about tim curry.
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Aug 27 '26
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u/DuDunDunSparse Aug 27 '26
Norwegian king - who is an incredibly poplar person here - is also very sick right now, to the point all the Norwegian royals are gathered. Even the national broadcasting service have cancelled their afternoon schedule.
This week is brutal
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u/KylosApprentice Aug 27 '26
"For Today In the Name Of Freedom, We Take The Battle To Them"
Will hit a lot different now..
This one sucks a lot
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u/Kentucky_Fried_Chill Aug 27 '26
Be strong enough to be gentle - Peter Cullen discussing the voice for Optimus Prime
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u/JamUpGuy1989 Aug 27 '26
Those Transformers movies by Michael Bay are pretty terrible (first one is the most tolerable out of the bunch). But I appreciated that Bay realized NO ONE else could be Optimus but Cullen. So, he kept him around his entire run to voice the character. Didn’t have to do that, could’ve casted fucking Brad Pitt or someone of higher stock. But Cullen WAS Optimus and no one else can ever be him.
In general, Cullen came across as a very humble man who had an amazing voice to be an actor. Really sad to hear his passing.
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u/GrandMoff_Harry Aug 27 '26
I unironically love that first trilogy of movies despite their flaws. The fourth and fifth movies completely lost the plot. Bumblebee was really nice though.
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u/BeefyTaco Aug 27 '26
I'm not personally part of the whole "transformers sucked" crowd. The first three movies are for the most part, solid watches no matter how you look at it. They absolutely nailed the comedy and action scenes.
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u/AlexHuntKenny Aug 27 '26
Popcorn with butter, large soda and transformers has never been a bad time for me. Gonna rewatch this weekend!
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u/Kazewatch Aug 27 '26
When I was a kid I used to think the second one was the best. Saw it at least 3 times in theaters. But man it does not hold up at all and the humor is really bad for the most part. Still a fun movie to watch but from John Turturro's ass cheeks to Devastator having a "scrotum" to the dumb little Transformer humping Megan Fox's leg to Sam's god awful roommate character, it's just really bad. Michael Bay just let all the coke do the talking and it shows. So I can't really agree with them nailing the comedy for that one.
But goddamn the first one is still pretty great. I can watch that unironically and enjoy it start to finish. The third one is okay but man it's weird how much Megan Fox being replaced by the most boring Victoria's Secret model affected it. The actual Transformers stuff is a step up from 2 though.
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u/Specialist-Bath5474 Aug 27 '26
WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP DYING 😭 AND ALWAYS THE GOOD ONES...
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u/spider-man2401 Aug 27 '26
Jesus, can this week get any worse? First Dolly Parton, then Tim Curry, and now Peter Cullen. It’s like 2016 all over again with beloved celeb suddently passed away.
RIP Peter Cullen. He was an amazing and legendary voice actor, known not only for his iconic role as Optimus Prime, but also for voicing characters like the Predator and Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh. More recently, he also lent his voice to Invincible.
“I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars. We are here. We are waiting.”
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u/tc8z Aug 27 '26
Right?! His voice for the Predator - equal parts menacing, memorable and iconic. I hear his voice every time I read a Predator comic.
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u/MuptonBossman Aug 27 '26
The Grim Reaper keeps taking the wrong famous person in their 80's...
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u/TheBanzerker Aug 27 '26
No no no… why?
Getting Kevin Conroy flashbacks.
There will never be a definitive Optimus Prime again.
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u/Saratje Aug 27 '26
It's like the evil version of 12 days of Christmas at this point and we're only at day 3. Parton, Curry, Cullen. What an awful week.
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u/Libro_Artis Aug 28 '26
"Above all, do not lament my absence, for in my spark, I know that this is not the end, but merely a new beginning. Simply put, another transformation." — Optimus Prime
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u/Scathach_is_love Aug 27 '26
What the fuck... First it's Tim Curry, then Peter Cullen. I feel like my childhood memories are slowly fading away :(
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u/legalizethesenuts Aug 27 '26
Oh wow, there goes my childhood. Thankful he got to finish his work as Thaedus in Invincible
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u/DatGuy83 Aug 27 '26
This is a rough one, Peter had such an iconic voice and was such an amazing actor.
I am also to believe that now Judd Nelson will become the new Prime. At least that's what was foretold in the movie
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u/HadesWTF Aug 27 '26 edited Aug 27 '26
Damn. Legit the voice of my childhood with all of those Toonami promos. I will never forget him in the Gundam promos. RIP King
"In the distant future, mankind has reached the stars..."
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u/RSN_Kabutops Aug 27 '26
And there's the 3rd
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u/the_shams_bandit Aug 27 '26
I want to get off Mr. Bones wild ride.....I was a Beast Wars kid but we quickly leaned to respect the legacy of G1. Amazing voice acting career in film and television. His imdb is the best example of "That was HIM?!"
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u/achenx75 Aug 27 '26
And I just finished Invincible and knew who Thaedus's voice actor was instantly and appreciated how distinct his voice was. RIP man.
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u/mikeyfreshh r/Movies Veteran Aug 27 '26
What a horrible week