Eric Bauza, the Emmy-winning voice actor known for bringing Looney Tunes favorites to life, has died suddenly at 46 following a battle with heart disease.
Bauza voiced some of animation’s most recognizable characters, including Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. His family confirmed the news of his death in a post shared on Instagram.
Records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office list heart disease as the cause of death.
In a statement, his family said: “Eric Bauza, Emmy Award-winning voice actor and 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. More details to come.”
The Canadian performer spent 25 years working in the entertainment industry, voicing dozens of popular animated characters and earning three Emmy Awards for his work on Looney Tunes productions.
He was also part of the voice cast for the animated comedy Coyote vs. Acme, which was released in August.
Looney Tunes voice star Eric Bauza has died suddenly at 46 after battling heart disease.
Among the characters he performed were Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepé Le Pew, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd and the Road Runner.
Bauza had previously spoken about his lifelong affection for Looney Tunes, recalling how he tried to imitate the characters’ voices while growing up.
Speaking to NBC News in 2021, he said: “Looney Tunes transcends all languages and all cultures.
“It doesn’t matter what part of the planet you’re from. You get the comedy.”
Beyond the Looney Tunes franchise, Bauza voiced Toad General in 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie and returned for its sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which has become the fifth highest-grossing film internationally in 2026.
He received three Emmy Awards for outstanding voice performance, winning in 2022, 2023 and 2025 for his work across different animated series.
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Channing Dungey, chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group and US Networks, was among the industry figures to honor Bauza’s legacy.
In a statement, Dungey said: “Eric Bauza was a unique voice talent who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world.
The Emmy-winning performer voiced beloved characters such as Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny, with his family announcing his death on Instagram.
“He followed in the footsteps of giants like Mel Blanc. Eric said that carrying on the legendary legacy of the Looney Tunes was among the greatest honours of his life.”
Born in Scarborough, Ontario, Bauza began his voice-acting career on the Canadian animated series The Ripping Friends.
He first entered the animation world as a character designer for Hollywood production studios before building a prolific voice career. His IMDb profile lists more than 421 credits across film, television and video games.
Bauza ultimately became the leading modern successor to legendary voice performer Mel Blanc, taking on the iconic role of Bugs Bunny in 2018.
He was hired by showrunner Peter Browngardt to audition during breaks in recording sessions for Uncle Grandpa.
His official debut episodes eventually premiered with the launch of the HBO streaming series Looney Tunes Cartoons in 2020.
Film producer and screenwriter Christopher DeFaria, who worked with Eric on Coyote vs. Acme, told Variety he would be remembered for his ‘incredible impact’.
He said: ‘He’s a voiceover artist for animated characters that have historic precedents and roles, and somehow out of that, he carved out a place in this business.
‘This past year, he had such an incredible impact, both on our movie, of course, but also on bringing attention to this amazing art form.’
