Eric Bauza, the Emmy-winning voice actor who gave life to Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and dozens of other beloved cartoon characters for a new generation, has died. He was 46.
His family shared the news in a short statement on Instagram. Bauza died on Sunday, Oct. 25, and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner listed the cause of death as hypertensive cardiovascular disease, according to ABC7. No further details were immediately released.
The Modern Voice of the Looney Tunes
For more than a decade, Bauza was one of the most familiar voices in animation, even if most fans never saw his face. He first joined the Looney Tunes world as Marvin the Martian on The Looney Tunes Show (2011–2013) and went on to voice Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and Tweety in New Looney Tunes, Looney Tunes Cartoons and the preschool series Bugs Bunny Builders.
Taking on characters once voiced by the legendary Mel Blanc was no small task, but Bauza earned praise from critics and longtime fans for keeping the classic personalities alive while making them feel fresh for today’s kids.
Three Emmys and Dozens of Iconic Roles
Bauza won three Emmy Awards during his career. In 2022, he took home the very first award for Outstanding Voice Performance in an Animated Program for Looney Tunes Cartoons. He won again in 2023 for Bugs Bunny Builders and in 2024 for Teen Titans Go!: Warner Bros. 100th Anniversary.
Beyond the Looney Tunes, his credits read like a tour of modern animation. He voiced Puss in Boots in The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Baby Fozzie Bear in Muppet Babies, Woody Woodpecker, Buster Bunny in Tiny Toons Looniversity, Tiger Claw and Splinter in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, and Luke Skywalker in several Star Wars animated projects.
From Scarborough to Hollywood
Born on Dec. 7, 1979, in Scarborough, Ontario, Bauza grew up watching classic cartoons with his father and grandfather, who were both Looney Tunes fans. He studied at Toronto’s Centennial College and got his start interning at the animation studio Spümcø before landing his first voice role on The Ripping Friends. His big break came when he took over the role of Stimpy on Ren & Stimpy “Adult Party Cartoon”.
Fans and fellow artists have been sharing tributes online, remembering Bauza as a gifted performer whose voices brought joy to children and adults alike. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues.
