Eric Bauza, the Emmy Award-winning voice actor best known for bringing Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and numerous other classic Looney Tunes characters to life for a new generation, has reportedly died at the age of 46.The n ews was announced Sunday, October 25, in a statement posted to Bauza’s verified Instagram account, @bauzilla, attributed to his family.
The statement reads:
From the Family of Eric Bauza:
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.
No cause of death or additional circumstances were provided in the announcement.
Born December 7, 1979, in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, Bauza developed an early fascination with animation and cartoon voices. His career eventually placed him among the industry’s most recognizable voice performers, with credits spanning television, feature films, video games and advertising.
From Animator to Voice Actor
Before becoming a successful voice actor, Bauza worked behind the scenes in animation as a character designer and production artist. After studying radio, television and film production at Centennial College, he began working with animation studio Spßmcø on the early 2000s series The Ripping Friends.
His first voice acting opportunities came while working in animation production. He subsequently provided the voice of Stimpy in the 2003 revival Ren & Stimpy: Adult Party Cartoon, taking over the character originally voiced by Billy West. Throughout the 2000s, Bauza steadily expanded his voice acting rĂŠsumĂŠ, appearing in animated series including El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera, The Fairly OddParents and G.I. Joe: Resolute. By the following decade, voice acting had become his primary focus, leading to prominent roles across several major animation studios.
Carrying on the Legacy of Looney Tunes
Bauza became particularly associated with Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes franchise, joining a relatively small group of performers entrusted with voicing characters originally made famous by legendary voice actor Mel Blanc. He began voicing Marvin the Martian in The Looney Tunes Show in 2011 before expanding his involvement with the franchise. His subsequent performances included Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Speedy Gonzales, PepĂŠ Le Pew and several other familiar characters.His work appeared in productions including Looney Tunes Cartoons, Bugs Bunny Builders, Teen Titans Go! and the 2021 feature film Space Jam: A New Legacy.
Bauza also voiced Daffy Duck and Porky Pig in the 2025 animated feature The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, which gave the two characters their own feature-length theatrical adventure. His performances earned him multiple industry honors, including three Children’s & Family Emmy Awards. His first Emmy came in 2022 for Outstanding Voice Performance in an Animated Program for Looney Tunes Cartoons.
A Career Beyond Looney Tunes
Although his work with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck became his most recognizable contribution to animation, Bauza’s career extended well beyond Warner Bros. He voiced the title character in Netflix’s The Adventures of Puss in Boots, portrayed Fozzie Bear in Disney Junior’s 2018 revival of Muppet Babies and provided the voice of Woody Woodpecker in Universal’s 2017 live-action/animated feature.
His extensive television credits also included Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, DuckTales, Uncle Grandpa, Breadwinners, Star vs. the Forces of Evil, The Powerpuff Girls, Transformers: Robots in Disguise and Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man. In 2023, Bauza joined the cast of Bob’s Burgers, taking over the role of restaurant owner Jimmy Pesto Sr. He also voiced Buster Bunny in Tiny Toons Looniversity, continuing his association with Warner Bros.’ classic animated characters. His feature film credits included The Book of Life, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, in which he voiced the Toad General.
Outside traditional animation, Bauza provided voices for advertising campaigns, including characters associated with Lucky Charms and Trix cereals.
A Lifelong Appreciation for Animation
Throughout his career, Bauza frequently discussed his admiration for the animators and performers who helped establish the art of cartoon comedy, particularly Mel Blanc.
His background as an artist gave him a perspective on voice acting that combined an understanding of character design, physical movement and vocal performance.
In addition to his acting work, Bauza hosted the 2022 Canadian documentary series Stay Tooned, which explored the cultural impact of animation. He also served as host of the third annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards in March 2025.
Bauza remained active in the animation community, regularly participating in conventions, interviews and discussions about the history of the medium.
His work helped introduce some of animation’s most enduring characters to contemporary audiences while establishing a substantial body of original performances across numerous animated productions.
Bauza is survived by his son.
Further information regarding his reported death and memorial arrangements has not been announced.
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