Eric Bauza, the Emmy-winning voice actor who gave Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck their voices for a new generation, has died at 46.
Bauza died Sunday at his home of hypertensive cardiovascular disease, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner records. His family announced his death in a statement on his Instagram account, saying 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.”
Taking over from the legendary Mel Blanc, the original voice of Bugs Bunny, was no small task, and Bauza did it for years. Beyond Bugs and Daffy, the Filipino-Canadian actor voiced much of the Looney Tunes cast, including Tweety, Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn, Porky Pig, Road Runner and Marvin the Martian. Most recently, he voiced Bugs and several other characters in this year’s hit film Coyote vs. Acme.
Bauza grew up a devoted fan of Blanc, and in past interviews he described voicing Bugs Bunny as “a dream come true.”
His work earned him three Children’s and Family Emmy Awards, for Looney Tunes Cartoons, Bugs Bunny Builders and Teen Titans Go!, along with a nomination for Daffy in Wackyland. In 2022, he won the first-ever Children’s and Family Emmy for Outstanding Voice Performance in an Animated Program. His voice also reached gamers through titles including MultiVersus and Ratchet & Clank.
“He followed in the footsteps of giants like Mel Blanc,” said Channing Dungey, chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group and US Networks. Dungey called Bauza “a unique voice talent who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world.”
At the time of his death, Bauza was working on two projects in pre-production. He was set to voice Daffy Duck in Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical and the Shogun King in The Dragon Masters.
