Eric Bauza, voice of Bugs Bunny passes away 'suddenly' at 46

Eric Bauza, the Emmy Award-winning voice actor known for voicing iconic cartoon characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck in the modern ‘Looney Tunes’ productions, has sadly passed away. He was 46.His family announced the news of his sudden death through a statement shared on his official Instagram account. No cause of death was disclosed.The statement from his family read, "From the Family of Eric Bauza 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. More details to come."

Bauza’s death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the animation industry, with colleagues and fans remembering his talent, warmth and contribution to some of the most recognisable characters in cartoon history.

Eric Bauza’s final projects included ‘Coyote vs. Acme’

Bauza remained active in voice acting until recently. Among his latest projects were ‘Forgotten Island’, the indie horror film ‘Buddy’ and ‘Coyote vs. Acme’, in which he voiced several characters from the ‘Looney Tunes’ universe.

His work on ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ reportedly included Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Foghorn Leghorn and several other male ‘Looney Tunes’ characters, with Tasmanian Devil being an exception.

From ‘The Ripping Friends’ to ‘Looney Tunes’

Born on December 7, 1979, in Scarborough, Toronto, Canada, Bauza began his career working as a production assistant and voice actor on the Fox Kids animated series ‘The Ripping Friends’.His career subsequently expanded across television, films and animation projects for major studios. Audiences who grew up watching Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network in the 2000s would have heard his voice in productions including ‘El Tigre’, and ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’. Beyond ‘Looney Tunes’, Bauza voiced numerous characters across Disney, Marvel and DC-related projects. His credits also included ‘Muppet Babies’, in which he voiced Fozzie Bear, as well as ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’, ‘DuckTales’ and ‘The Adventures of Puss in Boots’.

Emmy-winning voice actor remembered by colleagues

Bauza earned multiple Children’s and Family Emmy Awards during his career, including awards for his work on ‘Looney Tunes Cartoons’ and ‘Bugs Bunny Builders’.