Eric Bauza dies at 46: the voice behind Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck

Eric Bauza, the Emmy-winning voice of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, has died at 46. His family said he passed away suddenly. The news reached fans on Monday.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office listed hypertensive cardiovascular disease as the cause, ABC News reported. That is heart disease linked to long-term high blood pressure. Fox News reported that he died on Sunday.

The career of Eric Bauza

Bauza was born in Canada and started in animation early. He amassed more than 400 voice credits across television, film and games, according to ABC News and Fox News. His work began in 2001.

His breakthrough came in 2003. He voiced Stimpy in Ren & Stimpy: Adult Party Cartoon, taking over from Billy West, Fox News reported.

Later he became the modern voice of the Looney Tunes. He played Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Road Runner and Elmer Fudd. ABC lists his latest Looney Tunes role in Coyote vs. Acme. Earlier film work included Space Jam: A New Legacy in 2021.

He won three Emmy Awards for his Looney Tunes work, according to a Los Angeles Philharmonic biography cited by ABC. He performed with the orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl last year. The Hollywood Reporter named him to its 2026 Animation Power List earlier this month.

A tribute to a craft

Voice acting is hard to see and easy to undervalue. A good performer must carry an iconic character without copying the past. Bauza did that. He kept Mel Blanc’s spirit alive while making the roles his own.

In a 2020 interview, Fox News noted, he credited Blanc as a pioneer. Blanc was the first voice actor credited on screen as a voice actor. Bauza treated that history with care.

His manager, Judy Coppage, called his death a shock to all of us, ABC reported. Industry coverage said he had been preparing to voice Daffy Duck in Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical.

The loss follows other farewells this week. We also marked the death of Walter Koenig, the actor who played Chekov. Two very different careers. Both gave joy to millions.

Cartoons shape childhoods. The people who voice them deserve to be remembered by name.

Fact basis: ABC News, 26 October 2026; Fox News, 26 October 2026; industry reports compiled 27 October 2026.