The Voice of Bugs Bunny Falls Silent: Eric Bauza Dies at 46
Eric Bauza, the Emmy-winning voice actor who became the modern voice of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, has died suddenly at the age of 46, his family announced on Sunday.
The announcement
The news was shared in a statement posted to Bauza’s official Instagram account on Sunday night, 25 October. “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,” the family wrote. “More details to come.” Variety reported the death on Monday, 26 October.
The voice of a generation
For many younger viewers, Bauza simply was Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. He officially joined the Looney Tunes roster in 2020 and went on to voice Porky Pig, Tweety and Marvin the Martian, as well as Woody Woodpecker, sharing the Bugs Bunny role with fellow voice actor Jeff Bergman.
Three Emmys and a huge body of work
Bauza’s talent earned him three Children’s and Family Emmy Awards: in 2022 for Looney Tunes Cartoons, in 2023 for Bugs Bunny Builders, and in 2025 for Teen Titans Go! Beyond Looney Tunes, an early turning point came in 2003, when he took over the role of Stimpy in Ren & Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon, followed by the title role in The Adventures of Puss in Boots and Baby Fozzie in Muppet Babies.
His final roles
Audiences heard Bauza most recently in Coyote vs. Acme, the 2026 Looney Tunes film in which he voiced a whole lineup of characters, and in the 2024 feature The Day the Earth Blew Up, where he performed both Daffy Duck and Porky Pig. Reports say he was in pre-production on two further projects: Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical and The Dragon Masters.
A tribute from Warner Bros.
Channing Dungey, chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group and US Networks, paid tribute to Bauza’s 15 years with Warner Bros. Animation. “Eric Bauza was a unique voice talent who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world,” Dungey said in a statement. “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. In addition to his incredible talent, Eric was a treasured part of our animation family. Our hearts go out to his loved ones.”
For fans who grew up hearing his voice, the loss is personal: Bauza kept these characters alive, loud and funny, for a whole new generation.
Sources: Variety, 26 October 2026; family statement via Eric Bauza’s Instagram, 25 October 2026; Gulf News, 26 October 2026; Telegraph India, 26 October 2026.