Guwahati: Eric Bauza, the Emmy Award-winning voice actor known for portraying iconic Looney Tunes characters Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, has died at the age of 46. He died at his home from hypertensive cardiovascular disease, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Bauza’s family announced his death in a statement shared on his Instagram account, describing his passing as sudden. The family said further details would be released later.
Bauza spent 15 years working with Warner Bros. Animation and amassed more than 400 acting credits during his career. Alongside Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, he voiced several other beloved animated characters, including Porky Pig, the Road Runner and Tweety.
Warner Bros. Television Group and US Networks chair Channing Dungey paid tribute to the actor, saying his performances had brought joy and laughter to audiences worldwide.
Dungey said Bauza had followed in the footsteps of legendary voice actor Mel Blanc, who established the original voices of many Looney Tunes characters. She added that Bauza regarded continuing the franchise’s legacy as one of the greatest honours of his life and was a valued member of the animation community.
Born in Scarborough, Toronto, in 1979, Bauza built a successful career in animation and received three Emmy Awards for his work on Teen Titans Go!, Bugs Bunny Builders and Looney Tunes Cartoons.
His recent voice acting credits included Rick and Morty, Superkitties, Minions & Monsters and Avatar: Seven Havens. At the time of his death, he was in pre-production for Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical and The Dragon Masters.
Bauza also attended the Los Angeles premiere of the live-action and animation hybrid film Coyote vs. Acme in August.
Christopher DeFaria, a film producer, screenwriter and former voice actor who worked with Bauza on the film, praised his contribution to the industry in comments shared with Variety.
DeFaria said Bauza had made a distinctive mark in a field shaped by characters with long histories, adding that his work on Coyote vs. Acme had helped draw attention to the art of voice acting.
Bauza’s death marks the loss of a prominent contemporary voice in animation, whose performances helped carry some of the world’s best-known cartoon characters to new generations of audiences.