The Voice Behind the Icons Passes at 46
Eric Bauza, the modern voice of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, has died suddenly at age 46, according to a statement released by his family on Sunday. His passing marks the end of a career defined by manic energy and an ability to carry on the legendary footsteps of Mel Blanc.
The news was confirmed via a post on Bauza’s Instagram feed, which stated that the Emmy Award-winning voice actor had passed away suddenly. More details regarding the circumstances were not immediately available at the time of reporting. He was scheduled to attend the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation’s The Cat in the Hat on Sunday afternoon, according to press documents.
Bauza’s legacy is built on a foundation of over 400 acting credits throughout his career, starting with The Ripping Friends in 2001. By the numbers, he voiced dozens of iconic Looney Tunes characters, defining modern archetypes for new generations while maintaining the historical integrity of the roles.
A Legacy Defined by Voice and Volume
Bauza was born on December 7, 1979, in the Toronto suburban district of Scarborough. He was of Filipino descent, with a father and grandfather who were fans of classic cartoons such as Looney Tunes. His creative side was inspired early on by watching Mr. Dressup, where he would draw with the host while growing up.
He attended Cardinal Newman Catholic High School from 1993 to 1996 before graduating from Centennial College in 2000. He earned his degree in the Radio, Television, and Film Program. His career began as a character designer working with a few production studios in Hollywood. He later started as an intern at Spümcø during his third year of college.
The bottom line is that Bauza became one of the industry’s most in-demand voiceover actors. In 2026 alone, he lent his voice to projects including Chibiverse, Minions & Monsters, Rick and Morty, and Avatar: Seven Havens. Investors will note the sheer volume of work he accomplished in a single year before his death.
His breakthrough role came on Ren & Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon, where he took over the role of Stimpy from Billy West. He appeared in El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera, The Fairly OddParents, and Coconut Fred’s Fruit Salad Island. His work spanned genres, from G.I. Joe: Resolute to Ben 10: Omniverse.
Crown Jewels of Animation and Award Wins
Bauza is best known for voicing several Looney Tunes characters. He won three Children’s & Family Emmy Awards for his performances in Teen Titans Go!, Bugs Bunny Builders, and Looney Tunes Cartoons. These wins solidified his status as a premier talent in the animation family at Warner Bros.
In the film Coyote vs. Acme, which was released earlier this year, Bauza voiced multiple roles including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety, Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn, Porky Pig, Road Runner, Charlie the Dog, and more. Most of those roles originated with the late, legendary Mel Blanc.
He also brought several Looney Tunes characters to life in Space Jam: A New Legacy, voicing Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn, Elmer Fudd and Marvin the Martian. He voiced Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck in Looney Tunes Cartoons. In 2023, he became the new voice of Buster Bunny in the reboot show Tiny Toons Looniversity.
Bauza was nominated for five Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on Looney Tunes Cartoons and Muppet Babies. He also voiced Baby Fozzie in Muppet Babies from 2018 to 2022. His other notable roles included Puss in Boots in The Adventures of Puss in Boots from 2015 to 2018.
A Vocal MVP and Industry Tributes
Variety’s Peter Debruge called him a vocal MVP who brought manic energy to Porky and Daffy in The Day the Earth Blew Up. This review highlighted his unique ability to inject humor and life into established characters without losing their essence.
Channing Dungey, chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group and U.S. Networks, paid tribute to Bauza in a statement. She noted that he was a unique voice talent who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world. During his 15 years at Warner Bros. Animation, she said, he was the voice of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck among countless other characters.
Dungey added that Eric followed in the footsteps of giants like Mel Blanc. She stated that Eric said carrying on the legendary legacy of the Looney Tunes was among the greatest honors of his life. In addition to his incredible talent, she noted he was a treasured part of their animation family.
Bauza recently landed on The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural Animation Power list before his death. He hosted Stay Tooned, a six-part documentary series on the cultural impact of cartoons for CBC Gem in 2022. At the time of his death, he was in pre-production on two projects, Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical as Daffy Duck and The Dragon Masters as The Shogun King.
Chris DeFaria, who produced Coyote vs. Acme, told Variety that he will remember Bauza as someone with an absolutely tireless dedication to the animation art form. He reflected on Bauza’s pure expression of dedication, talent, enthusiasm, love and fun. DeFaria said Bauza embodied everything they wanted from the film, including the major theme that a little guy can make a difference in this world.
Bauza was scheduled to attend the premiere of The Cat in the Hat on Sunday afternoon before his death. His passing was announced by his family via an Instagram post stating he passed away suddenly. He died at his home as a result of hypertensive cardiovascular disease, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner records.
Sources
- Eric Bauza, the Modern Voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Other Iconic Characters, Dies at 46
- Eric Bauza
- Eric Bauza, Emmy Award-Winning Looney Tunes Voice Actor, Dies at 46
Photo: Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 3.0)
