Emmy-winning voice actor Eric Bauza, best known as the modern voice for iconic characters Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, has passed away at the age of 46. His family announced his sudden death from hypertensive heart disease on the evening of October 25.
Bauza lent his voice to a multitude of Looney Tunes characters across projects including "The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie," "Space Jam: A New Legacy," and the recently released "Coyote vs. ACME." He was a notable advocate for "Coyote vs. ACME," actively campaigning for its release after it was shelved by Warner Bros. At the 2024 Annie Awards, Bauza famously went off-script while portraying Bugs and Daffy, urging the movie's release, a moment many believe contributed to its eventual availability.
Reflecting on this during an interview with Polygon earlier this year, Bauza shared, "I made a joke, once I got through the whole bit, I said, 'Now that that's over — and by that I mean my career,' And it got a big, big laugh. I got a lot of respect from pretty much anyone who was anyone in the animation industry."
Bauza began his career as an animator in the early 2000s before transitioning into voice acting. Over his career, he voiced numerous original and legacy characters, including Toad General in the recent "Super Mario" films, Lego Luke Skywalker, and Transformers characters Hot Rod and Prowl. He also voiced Tiger Claw in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," the Sentinels in "X-Men '97," Baby Fozzie in the "Muppet Babies" reboot, and Woody Woodpecker.
Bauza was also a husband and father to a young son. The Polygon staff extends its condolences to his family and loved ones.