Eric Bauza, the prolific and versatile voice actor who carried the mantle of some of the most iconic characters in animation history, including Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, died on Sunday. He was 46 years old.
His passing was confirmed by his manager, Judy Coppage, who described Bauza as a unique talent loved by his peers and colleagues. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner determined that Bauza died from hypertensive cardiovascular disease. Following the news, his family released a brief statement on social media, indicating that further details regarding services would be provided at a later date.
Born in Canada, Bauza built a career of staggering breadth, amassing more than 400 acting credits over several decades. While he was perhaps most recognizable as the modern voice of the Looney Tunes roster, his work spanned the landscape of contemporary animation. Beyond the high-profile roles of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, he provided the voices for Porky Pig, Marvin the Martian, Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepé Le Pew, Tweety Bird, and the Road Runner. He also appeared in the recent theatrical release “Space Jam: A New Legacy” alongside LeBron James.
Warner Bros. Animation leadership paid tribute to Bauza’s contributions to the studio, where he worked for 15 years. In a joint statement, Warner Bros. Chairman Channing Dungey and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation President and CCO Bill Damaschke noted that Bauza followed in the footsteps of “giants like Mel Blanc” and frequently spoke of the responsibility he felt in maintaining the Looney Tunes legacy. They described him as a treasured member of their animation family whose work brought laughter to millions.
Bauza’s technical skill and comedic timing earned him significant industry recognition. He was a perennial figure at the Emmy Awards, winning Children’s and Family Emmy Awards in 2022, 2023, and 2025. He was also a nominee for the 2026 awards cycle and had received five Daytime Emmy nominations between 2016 and 2021.
His influence extended far beyond the Looney Tunes universe. Fans recognized his voice in a variety of major franchises, including “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Teen Titans Go!,” “Bob’s Burgers,” and “Puss in Boots.” He also took over the role of Woody Woodpecker in recent projects.
In a media appearance in August to promote the film “Coyote vs. Acme,” Bauza spoke about the weight of his roles. He credited Mel Blanc as the “blueprint” for everything he did, noting that after 90 years of existence, characters like Bugs Bunny felt less like intellectual property and more like “oldest family members” to the public. While he often cited Bugs Bunny as his favorite character to perform, he joked that as he aged, he felt a closer personal connection to the high-strung personality of Daffy Duck.
Bauza is survived by his family and a massive community of fans and colleagues within the global animation industry.
