Emmy-winning voice actor Eric Bauza dies at 46

EntertainmentBeloved ‘Looney Tunes’ voice actor dies suddenly at 46Eric Bauza, the Emmy-winning voice actor known for voicing Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, died Sunday, Oct. 25, at age 46. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)Andy Kropa/Invision/APEric Bauza, the Emmy-winning voice actor who brought Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck to life for a new generation, died suddenly Sunday at a home in Los Angeles County, Page Six reports. He was 46.The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office listed hypertensive cardiovascular disease as the cause of death and ruled it natural. Officials noted that Bauza also suffered from sleep apnea and class two obesity.Bauza’s family announced his death on his Instagram page Sunday, stating he “passed away suddenly” and that more details would follow.“It’s a profound loss for his family, the animation industry and his fans,” said Judy Coppage, Bauza’s longtime manager. “As his longtime manager, the pleasure of watching him succeed and excel to become one of the most accomplished voices in animation was rewarding and thrilling.”The Scarborough, Toronto-born actor won three Children’s & Family Emmy Awards and was most recently recognized for voicing Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck in “Looney Tunes Cartoons,” which aired from 2019 to 2023, Page Six noted. He succeeded Mel Blanc, the legendary voice actor known as “The Man of a Thousand Voices,” in the iconic roles.Channing Dungey, chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group and U.S. Networks, praised Bauza’s 15-year tenure with the studio and noted that Bauza considered carrying on the Looney Tunes legacy to be among the greatest honors of his life.“Eric Bauza was a unique voice talent who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world,” Dungey told Variety. “In addition to his incredible talent, Eric was a treasured part of our animation family.”Bauza’s 25-year career began as a character designer before he transitioned to voice acting in 2001, according to Page Six. His credits included roles in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Ben 10: Omniverse,” “Transformers: Robots in Disguise,” the “Woody Woodpecker” film, “Bob’s Burgers” and “Rick and Morty.”Chris DeFaria, producer of “Coyote vs. Acme,” called Bauza a master of his craft and said he had an “incredible impact” on the film and helped bring attention to the art form of voice acting.According to IMDb, Bauza had an upcoming role as Daffy Duck in “Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical,” which is currently in pre-production.Megan Sims is a viral reporter for cleveland.com and a Cleveland native. She covers topics ranging from celebrity news, national business news, social media and more. Previously, Megan covered various lifestyle...This article was produced with assistance from AI tools and reviewed by Cleveland.com staff.