Eric Bauza, the voice actor who took over Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck for a new generation of Looney Tunes fans, has died at the age of 46. His family announced on Instagram that he had “passed away suddenly” on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
Bauza died at his home, according to Variety. Los Angeles County Medical Examiner records list the cause of death as hypertensive cardiovascular disease, ABC7 reported.
Following Mel Blanc
Bauza was born in Toronto on December 7, 1979, and began working in animation in 2001. Over the next 25 years he built up more than 400 credits.
At Warner Bros. Animation he became the main voice of the characters Mel Blanc made famous, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and Tweety, and he also voiced Elmer Fudd. He won three Children’s and Family Emmy Awards between 2022 and 2025, for Looney Tunes Cartoons, Bugs Bunny Builders and Teen Titans Go!
Puss in Boots, Muppet Babies and Mario
Outside Looney Tunes, he voiced the title role in The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Baby Fozzie in Muppet Babies, and Luke Skywalker in several Star Wars animated projects. He played the Toad General in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) and its sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and voiced characters in Space Jam: A New Legacy and the 2026 film Coyote vs. Acme.
At the time of his death he was preparing to voice Daffy Duck in Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical and the Shogun King in The Dragon Masters. No details have been given on how those projects will go ahead.
Tributes
Channing Dungey, chairwoman of Warner Bros. Television Group and US Networks, said Bauza was “a unique voice talent who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world”. She said he had been the voice of Bugs and Daffy during his 15 years at Warner Bros. Animation, “followed in the footsteps of giants like Mel Blanc”, and had called carrying on the Looney Tunes legacy one of the greatest honours of his life.