Emmy Award-winning voice actor Eric Bauza, best known for bringing Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and several other beloved Looney Tunes characters to life, died on Sunday, October 25. He was 46.
Bauza died at his home from hypertensive cardiovascular disease, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner records cited by Variety. His family confirmed his sudden death in a statement published on his official Instagram account.
“Eric Bauza, Emmy Award-winning voice actor and the modern voice of iconic Looney Tunes characters Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, along with dozens of other beloved cartoon characters, has passed away suddenly,” the family wrote, adding that further details would be shared later.
Bauza worked for Warner Bros. Animation for 15 years and became one of the best-known vocal performers for the characters from this company’s popular cartoons. His talent for voicing several characters from Looney Tunes cartoons made him an integral part of the franchise.
In the 2026 film Coyote vs. Acme, Bauza voiced an extensive lineup of characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn, Road Runner and Charlie the Dog.
His Looney Tunes credits also included Space Jam: A New Legacy, Looney Tunes Cartoons and the 2024 animated feature The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, in which he performed the voices of both Daffy Duck and Porky Pig.
Channing Dungey, chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group and U.S. Networks, paid tribute to Bauza’s contribution to the animation industry.
“Eric Bauza was a unique voice talent who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world,” Dungey said in a statement.
She also acknowledged his role in preserving the legacy of legendary voice actor Mel Blanc, who originated many of the characters Bauza later portrayed.
“He followed in the footsteps of giants like Mel Blanc,” Dungey said, noting that Bauza considered continuing the Looney Tunes tradition one of the greatest honors of his life.
Born on December 7, 1979, in Scarborough, Toronto, Bauza began his career in animation as a character designer at Hollywood production studios before establishing himself as a voice actor.
His work extended well beyond Looney Tunes. He voiced the title character in The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Fozzie Bear in Muppet Babies and characters in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Fairly OddParents, The Powerpuff Girls and Transformers: Robots in Disguise.
His film credits included The Book of Life, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, Woody Woodpecker and DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island.
Throughout his career, Bauza received recognition from major animation and television award organizations, including nominations for Daytime Emmy, Children’s & Family Emmy and Annie Awards.
He also worked in advertising, providing voices for familiar characters such as Lucky the Leprechaun from Lucky Charms and the Trix Rabbit.
At the time of his death, Bauza was attached to two projects in pre-production: Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical, in which he was set to voice Daffy Duck, and The Dragon Masters, where he was cast as the Shogun King.
His death brings an unexpected end to a career that connected generations of cartoon audiences with characters originally made famous decades earlier.
As Dungey reflected in her tribute, Bauza was not only an accomplished performer but also a valued member of the Warner Bros. Animation family.
“In addition to his incredible talent, Eric was a treasured part of our animation family. Our hearts go out to his loved ones.”
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