Leisure & Game

Eric Bauza, Voice Acting Legend Behind Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, Dead at 46

October 26, 2026
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Eric Bauza, the voice acting legend behind Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and countless other classic characters, has died at 46.

Confirmation of Bauza’s passing arrived in a post shared on his Instagram account. As reported by KTLA, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office said he died October 25, 2026, of hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

Additional details surrounding the sudden announcement remain unclear. His family promised to share more soon with a message posted on social media.

“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,” a message from his family said. “More details to come.”

Bauza has such a thorough career in animation and voice acting that almost everyone who has enjoyed any TV shows, movies, or games in the last 25 years has probably heard his work. His time lending his unforgettable talent in the industry started with smaller roles in the 2000s, including spots in World of Warcraft, El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Sims 2, Chowder, and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, just to name a few, but it wasn’t long before he graduated to become the prolific actor he’s known as today.

In the 2010s, Bauza took on parts in video games like Batman: Arkham City, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13. Eventually, his work in animation took him to the Looney Tunes universe, where he would go on to play modern iterations on characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Marvin the Martian, and many, many others.

“I’m in complete shock and disbelief,” Phineas and Ferb’s Vincent Martella said. “A tremendously talented and kind coworker who I always had great conversations with and learned from. Sending so much love to his family. He was a giant. A titan in our industry.”

More recently, pop-culture fans may have caught him voicing a few names in Invincible or The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. He also played characters in kids-programming-turned-horror-film Buddy, as well as High on Life 2. Moviegoers heard him reprise his role as Bugs Bunny and other classic Looney Tunes characters in the once-shelved Coyote vs. Acme when it made its way to theaters in August of this year. You can also hear him as Jin-Woo, Kuzon, Pich, and more in Avatar: Seven Havens.

For all intents and purposes, Bauza was a legend not just in animation but entertainment in general. You could fill a book just listing the roles he’s played, and that’s exactly why the internet has already lit up with friends, fans, and fellow entertainers posting their condolences. IGN interviewed Bauza about how he fought to save Coyote vs. Acme in 2024. You can see some of the ways the internet is remembering the star below.

“I am at a loss for words,” Winnie the Pooh actor Jim Cummings shared in a reply to the Instagram post. “Such a young kind man.”

“My life was immeasurably changed for the better by having met Eric Bauza,” El Tigre creator Jorge R. Gutierrez said. “He just made everything he worked on better. A generational talent. A legend. I would write and design characters giddy thinking how he would bring them to life. And behind the scenes, an incredibly kind, humble and open-hearted good dude. How lucky we all were to have been able to witness his talent shine. And boy did it shine!!! My heart goes out to his family and friends. Adios, amigo. You will never be forgotten.”

“I’m so sorry,” Ghost of Yōtei star Erika Ishii said. “Much love to you and the rest of the family. He was a good man, a literal voice for change, advocacy, and a pioneer in animation, not to mention the Asian American community. The rest of the voice acting community is here for anything.”

Photo by JC Olivera/Variety via Getty Images.