Eric Bauza, the Emmy-award winning voice actor celebrated as the modern voice of iconic Looney Tunes characters including Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, has died at the age of 46. The news of his passing was confirmed by his family through a statement shared on the actor’s Instagram account. According to the Los Angeles county medical examiner, the cause of death was hypertensive cardiovascular disease.
Born in 1979 in Scarborough, Toronto, Bauza dedicated 15 years of his career to Warner Bros Animation. In this capacity, he took on the significant role of succeeding the legendary Mel Blanc, providing the voices for some of the studio’s most famous cartoon figures. His extensive portfolio included voicing Porky Pig, Road Runner, Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn, and Marvin the Martian, among many other classic characters.
Beyond his work with the Looney Tunes franchise, Bauza’s career included roles in The Adventures of Puss in Boots and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. His film credits featured appearances in Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) and The Super Mario Bros Movie (2023). Within this year, he contributed his voice to characters in Rick and Morty, Minions & Monsters, and Avatar: Seven Havens, and he also appeared in the film Coyote vs Acme.
Channing Dungey, chairman of Warner Bros Television Group and US Networks, paid tribute to the actor in a statement provided to The Hollywood Reporter. “Eric Bauza was a unique voice talent who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world,” Dungey said. She noted that Bauza often expressed that continuing the legacy of the Looney Tunes was among the greatest honors of his life. Dungey added, “In addition to his incredible talent, Eric was a treasured part of our animation family. Our hearts go out to his loved ones.”
