Actor Eric Bauza who voiced Looney Tunes characters including Bugs Bunny & Daffy Duck dies ‘suddenly’ aged 46
LOONEY Tunes actor Eric Bauza, who voiced iconic cartoon characters such as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, has died aged 46.
The award-winning star’s family posted on Instagram that he had died “suddenly” and there would be “more details to come”.
The Canadian voiced dozens of beloved characters over more than 25 years in the industry, winning three Emmys for his Looney Tunes roles.
He died as a result of heart disease, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner records.
Bauza had multiple characters in this summer‘s hit animated comedy Coyote vs. Acme.
These included Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepé Le Pew, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd and The Road Runner.
The actor told NBC News in 2021 that he was a huge fan of Looney Tunes growing up and used to copy the voices.
He said: “Looney Tunes transcends all languages and all cultures.
“It doesn’t matter what part of the planet you’re from. You get the comedy.”
Bauza was also known for playing Toad General in 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie and its sequel The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, this year’s fifth highest-grossing film internationally.
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He won three Emmy Awards for outstanding voice performance in 2022, 2023 and 2025 for different animated shows.
Channing Dungey, the chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group and US Networks, said in a statement: “Eric Bauza was a unique voice talent who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world.
“He followed in the footsteps of giants like Mel Blanc. Eric said that carrying on the legendary legacy of the Looney Tunes was among the greatest honors of his life.”
Born in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough in Ontario, Bauza made his voice acting debut in the Canadian animated series The Ripping Friends.
Before stepping behind the microphone, he began his journey in animation as a character designer for Hollywood production studios.
He would go on to have more 421 voice acting credits in film, television and video games listed on his IMDb profile.
Bauza’s extraordinary vocal range allowed him to become the definitive modern successor to legendary voice actor Mel Blanc, and he first took on the iconic Bugs Bunny role in 2018.
He was hired by showrunner Peter Browngardt to audition during breaks in recording sessions for Uncle Grandpa.
His official debut episodes eventually premiered with the launch of the HBO streaming series Looney Tunes Cartoons in 2020.
Film producer and screenwriter Christopher DeFaria, who worked with Bauza on Coyote vs. Acme, told Variety the voice actor would be remembered for his “incredible impact”.
DeFaria said: “He’s a voiceover artist for animated characters that have historic precedents and roles, and somehow out of that, he carved out a place in this business.
“This past year, he had such an incredible impact, both on our movie, of course, but also on bringing attention to this amazing art form.”
Bauza is survived by his son and his family.