46-Year-Old Voice Actor Behind Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck Dies

Eric Bauza, the voice artist behind Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig, has died at the age of 46. His family announced the sudden death in an Instagram post, noting that he passed away at his home on Sunday. Variety reported that the cause of death was hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

Bauza was born in Ontario and is of Filipino descent. In a 2021 interview with NBC News, he recalled growing up as a fan of the Looney Tunes franchise. He said he used to copy the character voices as a child. "Looney Tunes transcends all languages and all cultures," Bauza stated. "It doesn't matter what part of the planet you're from. You get the comedy."

The actor voiced Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, and Foghorn Leghorn in the 2021 film Space Jam: A New Legacy. He reprised those roles and added the voice of Road Runner in this summer's animated film Coyote vs. Acme. He also appeared in the recent release Forgotten Island.

Bauza played the character Toad General in the 2023 film The Super Mario Bros. Movie. He returned to the role for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which became the fifth highest-grossing film internationally this year. Between 2022 and 2025, he received three Emmy awards for outstanding voice performance in television series.

Channing Dungey, chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group and US Networks, commented on the loss. "Eric Bauza was a unique voice talent who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world," Dungey said in a statement reported by the Hollywood Reporter. "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."