Eric Bauza, the voice actor whose performances as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and dozens of other Looney Tunes characters made him the face — or rather the voice — of the franchise for a new generation, has died at 46.
Bauza died suddenly late Sunday at his home in Los Angeles County, his family said in a statement. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner found that he died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease.
Since 2001, Bauza built a career with more than 400 voice acting credits, lending his voice to characters across Looney Tunes series as well as productions including “Puss in Boots,” “Muppet Babies” and “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” He won three Children’s and Family Emmy Awards between 2022 and 2025.
“Looney Tunes will always have a special place in my heart,” Bauza told The Associated Press earlier this year. “I watched them on Saturday mornings originally. It’s not just the voice but the overall aesthetic has influenced me as an artist.”
From Scarborough to the Recording Booth
Bauza grew up in Scarborough, Ontario, the son of Filipino immigrant parents, and discovered his love of voice acting as a teenager — delivering his high school’s morning P.A. announcements in a rotating cast of cartoon voices.
His Looney Tunes performances drew heavily on reverence for the original voice behind the characters, Mel Blanc. Bauza would often slip into a Blanc impression even outside the recording booth. “Mel Blanc is like the voice of God for me,” he told The New York Times last year.
A Modest Cause Célèbre
Bauza’s film credits included “Space Jam: A New Legacy” (2021), “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie” (2024) and this year’s “Coyote vs. Acme,” in which Wile E. Coyote sues the Acme Corporation over its defective products.
That film became an unlikely flashpoint when Warner Bros. initially decided not to release it. After fan backlash that Bauza helped fuel, Ketchup Entertainment picked up distribution, and the film went on to earn more than $100 million worldwide. While the movie sat shelved, Bauza made his case for its release at the 2024 Annie Awards — in the voice of Daffy Duck.
“He’s the go-to cartoon character above anyone else when it comes to begging and pleading,” Bauza said of the choice. “It seemed appropriate.”
Bauza was candid about the frustrations of working in an industry where celebrity casting often overshadowed voice professionals. He had voice-matched for stars including Bill Hader on “Bob’s Burgers” and Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots.
“From my experience working several times in the feature film format, there’s always the reminder that it is ‘temporary dialogue’ and ‘Chris Pratt will be voicing all the Looney Tunes in this feature film’ — no, just kidding,” Bauza told The AP.
Still, he maintained there was always room for what he called “nine-to-fivers like me” to fill in the background, even in star-studded productions. Those who knew him said he rarely went more than a few minutes without slipping into the voice of Bugs, Daffy or another character.
“The Looney Tunes were here before I was born and they’re definitely going to be here long after I leave this realm,” Bauza said shortly before “Coyote vs. Acme” was released. “I just feel like the luckiest guy.”
