Voice actor behind Bugs Bunny and Mario villain dies at home

Eric Bauza, the voice actor responsible for Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and other Looney Tunes characters, has died. His family announced the sudden death in a post on Instagram on Sunday. He was 46 years old.

Variety reported that the cause of death was hypertensive cardiovascular disease. Bauza died at his home. The voice artist was a fixture in recent animated releases. He provided voices for characters in the summer hit Coyote vs. Acme and the recent film Forgotten Island.

Bauza was born in Ontario and was of Filipino descent. He described himself as a childhood fan of the Looney Tunes franchise. In a 2021 interview with NBC News, he explained how the cartoons resonated with him globally. He said, "Looney Tunes transcends all languages and all cultures. It doesn't matter what part of the planet you're from. You get the comedy."

His film credits include voicing Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, and Foghorn Leghorn in 2021's Space Jam: A New Legacy. He reprised those roles along with the Road Runner in Coyote vs. Acme. In video game adaptations, he played the Toad General in 2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie and its sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. That sequel became the fifth highest-grossing film internationally this year.

Bauza won three Emmy awards for outstanding voice performance between 2022 and 2025. Channing Dungey, chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group and US Networks, issued a statement praising the actor. Dungey noted that Bauza brought joy to millions and followed the footsteps of giants like Mel Blanc. Bauza considered carrying on the legacy of the Looney Tunes one of the greatest honors of his life.

The news follows his recent work on major studio productions. His family confirmed the timing of his death as sudden. The voice artist left behind a body of work spanning decades of animation history.