Eric Bauza, Voice of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, Dies at 46

Eric Bauza, the voice actor known for breathing new life into classic animated characters such as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, died at the age of 46 on October 25, 2026, in Los Angeles, California, according to an announcement from his family on social media and official medical records. While initial family statements described the death as sudden, cnnespanol.cnn.com reported that Los Angeles County medical examiner records established the cause of death as hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

The Medical Examiner Records and Family Statements

El Tiempo and Telemedellín reported that the medical examiner's office detailed a diagnosis of hypertensive cardiovascular disease, which the National Library of Medicine defines as a set of alterations resulting from chronic elevation of blood pressure.

Milenio noted that the family’s initial statement on Instagram announced the death without immediately specifying a medical diagnosis. Telemundo 52 confirmed through local authorities that the actor passed away inside a residence in the Los Angeles county area.

Emmy Awards and Decades of Character Work

Born in Toronto, Canada, Bauza began his career in the animation industry as a character designer in Hollywood before transitioning to full-time voice acting, according to his talent agency SBV.

Cnnespanol.cnn.com detailed that his vocal repertoire included Tweety, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, and Foghorn Leghorn, alongside providing the New York accent for Bugs Bunny and the signature lisp for Daffy Duck. His credits spanned major studios including Disney, DreamWorks, and Cartoon Network, with appearances in features such as Coyote vs. Acme, Space Jam, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and The Woody Woodpecker Movie. His voice is remembered in characters from the big screen such as the famous Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, but also Tweety or Elmer Fudd. Part of his dubbing records also included Foghorn Leghorn, Porky Pig, and Road Runner, among others. Considered a modern successor to Mel Blanc, Bauza also voiced Porky, Tweety, Marvin the Martian, Elmer Fudd, and many more. On the big screen, he also voiced Woody Woodpecker in the animated film of the same name and portrayed General Toad in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

His television work extended to The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Teen Titans Go!, Muppet Babies where he voiced Fozzie Bear, and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as Splinter. According to CNN and Variety, Bauza earned multiple Emmy nominations and secured Emmy wins for his work in children’s and animated programming.

Tributes from Colleagues in Animation

Fellow voice actors and directors shared public tributes following the announcement. Jim Cummings, known for voicing Winnie the Pooh and Tasmanian Devil, responded to the family statement by calling Bauza a very kind young man and stating that he was at a loss for words, as reported by cnnespanol.cnn.com.

Director Adam Rosette wrote on Instagram that he was devastated by the loss of his first friend in Los Angeles, recalling their early days sharing a desk at a small animation studio before Bauza moved into full-time voice work.

Unfinished Projects and Memorial Plans

At the time of his death, Bauza was actively involved in several active productions. El Tiempo and Telemedellín reported that the actor was in the preproduction phase for two animated projects: Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical, where he was slated to voice Daffy Duck, and The Dragon Masters, where he was attached to voice the character Shogun King.

While fans continue to post tributes across social media platforms, the actor’s family indicated in their initial statements that additional details regarding memorial services and final arrangements will be released in the coming days.