Eric Bauza, the Emmy-winning voice actor behind modern versions of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and dozens of other animated characters, died on Sunday, October 25, at his home in Los Angeles County. He was 46.
Los Angeles County Medical Examiner records obtained by Entertainment Weekly listed hypertensive cardiovascular disease as the cause of death and classified the manner as natural.
Bauza built a career spanning more than two decades and over 400 acting credits. His work reached audiences through television, movies and video games.
His manager, Judy Coppage, told NBC News that watching his career develop had been rewarding. “His sudden passing is a shock to all of us, and he will be deeply missed,” she said.
His Family Shared the News on Instagram
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The announcement appeared on Bauza’s official account that evening. His family said more information would follow.
Fellow performers responded beneath the post. Jack Quaid, who worked with Bauza on Star Trek: Lower Decks, said he had looked up to him as both a voice actor and a person.
Quaid’s tribute was among those documented by Entertainment Weekly, along with a message from Teen Titans Go! actor Khary Payton. Payton remembered being awed by Bauza’s talent and said knowing him had made him better in many ways.
Bauza Brought Looney Tunes Characters to Television and Movies
In a 2024 interview for WB Kids, Bauza discussed his voice work with Bugs Bunny serving as his animated interviewer. His Looney Tunes roles extended to Tweety, Marvin the Martian, Elmer Fudd and Foghorn Leghorn.
In The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, Bauza performed both sides of the central partnership between Daffy and Porky Pig. Variety recalled critic Peter Debruge’s praise for the energy he brought to the pair.
His film work also included Space Jam: A New Legacy in 2021 and Coyote vs. Acme, released in August 2026.
Three Different Series Earned Him Emmy Awards
Bauza won three Children’s & Family Emmys: for Looney Tunes Cartoons in 2022, Bugs Bunny Builders in 2023 and Teen Titans Go! in 2025. Each recognized his voice performance. He also hosted the March 2025 ceremony, according to the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Beyond Looney Tunes, he played the title role in Netflix’s The Adventures of Puss in Boots and Baby Fozzie in Muppet Babies. His credits also included Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ben 10: Omniverse, The Fairly OddParents and Rick and Morty.
Warner Bros. Remembered His Dedication to Animation
Channing Dungey, chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group and US Networks, recalled Bauza’s 15 years with Warner Bros. Animation in a statement shared with Variety.
“He followed in the footsteps of giants like Mel Blanc,” she said. Dungey remembered how much preserving the Looney Tunes legacy meant to Bauza and described him as a treasured member of the studio’s animation family.
Coyote vs. Acme producer Chris DeFaria praised his “absolutely tireless dedication” to animation. He said Bauza embodied the film’s idea that a little guy could make a difference and had helped draw attention to the art form.
His Love of Cartoons Began in Scarborough
Born December 7, 1979, in Scarborough, Ontario, Bauza graduated from Centennial College in 2000. He explained his first animation work in a 2023 interview with the Toronto Guardian. As a character layout artist, he took storyboards and drew characters in their final poses before passing the drawings to animators.
Cartoons also connected him to his Filipino family. In a 2021 interview with NBC News, he recalled learning that his father and grandfather had enjoyed Looney Tunes shorts together at cinemas in the Philippines.
“Looney Tunes transcends all languages and all cultures,” Bauza said. “It doesn’t matter what part of the planet you’re from. You get the comedy.”