Eric Bauza, Iconic Voice of Bugs Bunny & Daffy Duck, Dies at 46

Eric Bauza, the voice actor known for bringing characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck to life, has died suddenly at the age of 46.

According to the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office, Bauza was found dead Sunday at a residence in Los Angeles County. The cause of death was listed as hypertensive cardiovascular disease, and the manner of death was ruled natural. Officials also noted he had sleep apnea and was classified as having class two obesity.

In a message posted to his Instagram account, Bauza’s family said he “passed away suddenly,” and added that further information would be released later. His longtime manager, Judy Coppage, described him to NBCLA as a uniquely talented and versatile performer in the world of voice acting.

“His sudden passing is a shock to all of us, and he will be deeply missed. It’s a profound loss for his family, the animation industry and his fans,” Coppage said of the Scarborough, Toronto–born actor. “As his longtime manager, the pleasure of watching him succeed and excel to become one of the most accomplished voices in animation was rewarding and thrilling.”

Bauza, a three-time Children’s & Family Emmy Award winner, gained wide recognition for voicing the classic Looney Tunes characters Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck in the Looney Tunes Cartoons series that ran from 2019 to 2023. In doing so, he followed in the footsteps of Mel Blanc, the legendary voice actor often called “The Man of a Thousand Voices.”

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He also provided the voices of Bugs and Daffy in the 2018 mobile game Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem and voiced characters such as Pepe Le Pew and Marvin the Martian on the animated series The New Looney Tunes.

Before he became a prominent name in voice work, Bauza began his career as a character designer for Hollywood production companies, according to his SBV Talent biography, before shifting his focus to performing voices.

His professional history stretches back to 2001 with an appearance on the animated TV series The Ripping Friends. Over a career spanning about 25 years, he contributed many notable roles across television and film.

On the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, Bauza voiced characters including Tiger Claw, Hun, and Vic Fulci. He was a recurring presence on Ben 10: Omniverse as Driba, Diamondhead, and Dr. Psychobos, appearing in 52 episodes between 2012 and 2014.

From 2015 to 2017, he lent his voice to characters such as Drift, Lt. Ziegler, and Headlock on Transformers: Robots in Disguise. His credits also include guest and recurring roles on shows like Bob’s Burgers, Rick and Morty, and the animated series The Mighty Ones, which stars Josh Brener.

In addition to television work, Bauza voiced parts in animated features such as The Book of Life and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, and he played Woody Woodpecker in the Universal Pictures film of the same name.

This year he returned to the roles of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck for the feature film Coyote vs. Acme, which stars Will Forte, Lana Condor and John Cena. According to his IMDb page, he was also set to voice Daffy Duck in the forthcoming Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical, which at the time of reporting was in pre-production.

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Messages remembering Bauza have been posted by colleagues and industry leaders. Channing Dungey, chair of Warner Bros. Television Group and U.S. Networks, praised Bauza’s contributions and noted his long association with Warner Bros. Animation.

Dungey said Bauza brought joy and laughter to millions and helped carry on the legacy of Looney Tunes characters, calling him a treasured member of the studio’s animation family and offering condolences to his loved ones.

Chris DeFaria, producer of Coyote vs. Acme, lauded Bauza as a master of his craft who embodied the film’s theme about the impact a small person can make. DeFaria added that Bauza not only made a significant contribution to their movie but also helped shine a light on the art of voice acting.