Eric Bauza, the Emmy-winning Canadian voice actor who became the modern voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and a host of other classic Looney Tunes characters, died at the age of 46.
He passed away on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at his home in Los Angeles County, according to a statement by his family. The manner of death was listed as natural. His family shared news of the sudden passing on his social media accounts, confirming that more details would follow later.
Born on December 7, 1979, in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, Ontario, Bauza was of Filipino descent. He relocated to the United States to study animation and initially worked as a character designer for Hollywood production studios. That foundation opened the door to a prolific voice-acting career that eventually spanned hundreds of credits across major studios including Disney, DreamWorks, and Cartoon Network.
Bauza succeeded the legendary Mel Blanc as the primary voice for many of the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes characters for a new generation of audiences. He portrayed Bugs Bunny with a distinctive New York accent and Daffy Duck with his characteristic lisp, while also lending his voice to Tweety, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn, the Road Runner, Marvin the Martian, and others. These roles appeared in projects such as the 2021 film Space Jam: A New Legacy, the series Looney Tunes Cartoons, and the 2026 theatrical release Coyote vs. Acme, in which he voiced multiple characters.
Beyond the Looney Tunes universe, Bauza’s extensive résumé included Puss in Boots in the Netflix series The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Splinter in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Baby Fozzie Bear in Muppet Babies, Woody Woodpecker in the animated film of the same name, and Toad General in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and its sequel. He also contributed to video games and other animated productions over a career that began in the early 2000s.
His work earned him three Emmy Awards for outstanding voice performance in an animated program, in 2022, 2023, and 2025, primarily for his Looney Tunes contributions across series including Teen Titans Go!, Bugs Bunny Builders, and Looney Tunes Cartoons. At the time of his death, he was in pre-production on projects including Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical, in which he was set to reprise Daffy Duck, and The Dragon Masters, where he was cast as The Shogun King.
Just one day before his death, Bauza posted a photograph on social media with The Simpsons director David Silverman, taken at the LightBox Expo event in California. Colleagues and industry figures responded to the news by highlighting his kindness, professionalism, and the impact of his performances. Voice actor Jim Cummings described him as a kind young man, while others recalled early collaborations in Los Angeles animation studios and watched his rise to prominence as a leading voice talent. Warner Bros. executives noted his role in carrying forward the enduring legacy of the Looney Tunes characters that have entertained audiences for generations.
Bauza, who was a father to one son, leaves behind a body of work that introduced classic cartoon characters to contemporary viewers while adding hundreds of additional performances across film, television, and digital media. His sudden death at 46 marks a significant loss for the animation and voice-acting community.
You can find some of his works on Amazon and HBO Max HERE.
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