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

Eric Bauza, the actor who lent his voice to iconic "Looney Tunes" characters Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, has died at the age of 46. Bauza passed away "suddenly" on Sunday at his home in Los Angeles County, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiners. His cause of death was listed as hypertensive cardiovascular disease, with officials noting he also suffered from sleep apnea and class two obesity. The manner of death was determined to be natural.

A statement shared on his Instagram page confirmed his "sudden" passing. "More details to come," the family wrote.

Bauza, who was born in Scarborough, Ontario, was a three-time Children's & Family Emmy Award winner. He gained widespread recognition for his role in the "Looney Tunes Cartoons" series, which aired between 2019 and 2023, where he took over the beloved roles of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, previously voiced by Mel Blanc. He also voiced these characters in the 2018 video game "Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem" and appeared in "The New Looney Tunes" as Pepe Le Pew and Marvin the Martian.

Before becoming a prominent voice actor, Bauza began his career in character design for Hollywood production studios. His voice acting credits extended to other animated series and films, including "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," where he voiced Tiger Claw and Hun, and "Ben 10: Omniverse" as Driba, Diamondhead, and Dr. Psychobos. He also lent his voice to "Transformers: Robots in Disguise," "Bob's Burgers," "Rick and Morty," and "The Mighty Ones." His film credits include "The Book of Life," "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water," and voicing Woody Woodpecker in the live-action film of the same name.

More recently, Bauza reprised his roles as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck in the film "Coyote vs. Acme." He was also set to voice Daffy Duck in the upcoming musical film "Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical," which was in pre-production.

Tributes have poured in from the animation community. Channing Dungey, Chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group and US Networks, stated, "Eric Bauza was a unique voice talent who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world." She added, "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 honors of his life. In addition to his incredible talent, Eric was a treasured part of our animation family. Our hearts go out to his loved ones."

Chris DeFaria, producer of "Coyote vs Acme," called Bauza a master of his craft. "He embodied everything we wanted from this film, including the major theme of the movie that a little guy can make a difference in this world," DeFaria told Variety. "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."