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

Eric Bauza, the voice actor who carried Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck into a new generation, has died. He was 46. Bauza died suddenly at his home on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, his family said, and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner listed the cause as hypertensive cardiovascular disease, according to Variety. His death was one of the most searched stories in the U.S. on Monday: "Eric Bauza" passed 200,000 searches on Google Trends, with fans also looking up "Bugs Bunny voice actor." Here is what we know about his death, his career and the tributes that followed.

What we know

Bauza's family announced his death in a statement on his Instagram account: "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."

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner reported that he died at home of hypertensive cardiovascular disease, AP reported. The examiner's report also listed sleep apnea and obesity as other significant conditions, Us Weekly reported. Hypertensive heart disease is damage to the heart caused by long-term high blood pressure, Us Weekly noted, citing the Cleveland Clinic.

The modern voice of Looney Tunes

For 15 years at Warner Bros. Animation, Bauza voiced the studio's most famous characters, following, as the studio put it, "in the footsteps of giants like Mel Blanc." According to Variety, his Looney Tunes roles included:

Source: Variety.

Reviewing The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie in 2024, Variety critic Peter Debruge called Bauza, who voiced both Porky and Daffy, a "vocal MVP" who "brings a manic energy to the pair." This year, Bauza voiced several characters in the summer animated hit Coyote vs. Acme, the BBC noted, and appeared in the recent release Forgotten Island.

A career of more than 400 roles

Bauza was one of the most in-demand voice actors in animation, with more than 400 credits, Variety reported. His first was The Ripping Friends in 2001. He went on to voice characters in:

• Avatar: The Last Airbender
• Chowder and Fanboy & Chum Chum
• Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated
• Ben 10: Omniverse

In 2026 alone, his work included Chibiverse, Minions & Monsters, Rick and Morty, Superkitties and Avatar: Seven Havens, Variety said.

Awards

Bauza won three Children's & Family Emmy Awards, for Teen Titans Go!, Bugs Bunny Builders and Looney Tunes Cartoons, and was nominated for Daffy in Wackyland, according to Variety. He also received five Daytime Emmy nominations for Looney Tunes Cartoons, Muppet Babies and The Adventures of Puss in Boots.

From Toronto to Hollywood

Bauza was born on Dec. 7, 1979, in Scarborough, Toronto. According to his talent agency biography, cited by Variety, he started in animation as a character designer at a Hollywood production studio and worked in animation departments on projects such as The Drawn Together Movie! and El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera before his voice career took off.

A busy final year

Bauza's last year was one of his most visible. Coyote vs. Acme, a live-action and animation hybrid starring Wile E. Coyote, was a summer animated hit, per the BBC, and Bauza voiced several of its classic characters. In August, he attended the film's Los Angeles premiere, The Guardian reported. DeFaria told Variety that "this past year, he had such an incredible impact, both on our movie, of course, but also on bringing attention to this amazing art form."

The BBC also noted his role in the recent release Forgotten Island, one of several 2026 projects that will now be among his final performances.

Tributes

Warner Bros. Television Group and U.S. Networks Chairman Channing Dungey said in a statement quoted by Variety: "Eric Bauza was a unique voice talent who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world. During his 15 years at Warner Bros. Animation, he was the voice of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck among countless other characters. 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."

Coyote vs. Acme producer Chris DeFaria told Variety he would remember Bauza's "absolutely tireless dedication" to animation. "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 said. "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."

What's next

1. Unfinished projects. At his death, Bauza was in pre-production on Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical, voicing Daffy Duck, and on The Dragon Masters as The Shogun King, Variety reported. The studios have not said how those roles will be handled.
2. Further details. His family's statement said "more details" would follow, and no memorial plans had been announced as of Monday.
3. Watching his work. Fans can find his performances across Looney Tunes Cartoons, Bugs Bunny Builders and this year's Coyote vs. Acme.

The bottom line

Eric Bauza gave Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck their voices for a new generation and built one of animation's busiest careers in the process. For more entertainment news, read about the death of Star Trek's Walter Koenig and what happened in Chris Brown's London sentencing.