The animation world is in mourning after the sudden death of Emmy Award-winning voice actor Eric Bauza, the modern voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and dozens of other beloved cartoon characters. Bauza was 46. His family announced his passing in a statement shared on his official Instagram account on Sunday, 25 October 2026.
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Eric Bauza Latest News: Family Announces His Sudden Passing
The family’s statement read: “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 was given in the family’s statement. Tributes from fans and fellow performers flooded social media within hours of the announcement, with many sharing memories of his warmth, humour, and extraordinary talent.
A Career Spanning More Than Two Decades
Born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, to Filipino parents, Bauza developed a love of classic animation watching Looney Tunes with his father and grandfather. He studied at Centennial College and began his career in animation before moving into voice acting.
Over more than 25 years, he amassed hundreds of credits across television, film, video games, and shorts. He became the modern voice of the Looney Tunes franchise, voicing Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety, Marvin the Martian, Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn, and many more in series such as Looney Tunes Cartoons and Bugs Bunny Builders, and in films including Space Jam: A New Legacy and The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie.
An Emmy-Winning Talent
In 2022, Bauza won the first-ever Children’s and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice Performance in an Animated Program for his work on Looney Tunes Cartoons. He went on to win two further Children’s and Family Emmys, for Bugs Bunny Builders and Teen Titans Go!.
Beyond Looney Tunes, his roles included Puss in Boots in The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Baby Fozzie in Muppet Babies, and characters in The Loud House, Rick and Morty, Bob’s Burgers, and Teen Titans Go!. In 2026, he voiced multiple characters in Coyote vs. Acme, the long-awaited film that was nearly shelved before finding a theatrical release.
Tributes From the Animation World
Fellow performers and creators shared their grief online. Writer and director Jorge Gutierrez wrote: “He just made everything he worked on better. A generational talent.” Voice actor Carlos Alazraqui wrote: “I am in shock. This doesn’t feel real!”
Fans, too, shared stories of meeting Bauza at conventions and events, remembering him as generous with his time and endlessly funny — a performer who could slip between a dozen voices in a single conversation.
A Legacy That Will Keep Playing
Eric Bauza is survived by his wife, Jessica, whom he married in 2016, and their son. He often spoke of carrying forward the legacy of Mel Blanc, the original voice of the Looney Tunes characters — and like Blanc, Bauza became the voice of a generation’s childhood.
For millions of viewers, Bugs Bunny’s wisecracks, Daffy Duck’s bluster, and Tweety’s sweetness will always sound like Eric Bauza. His performances will continue to entertain children and adults for decades to come — a fitting legacy for a man who devoted his life to making people laugh.
What made Bauza special was not just his range but his respect for the characters. He studied the original performances, understood what made each voice work, and brought his own warmth to roles that could easily have become mere impressions. That is why his Bugs Bunny felt both faithful and fresh — and why the animation world feels his loss so keenly today.