Eric Bauza, the Emmy Award-winning Filipino Canadian voice actor known for Looney Tunes‘ characters Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety and Porky Pig, has died. He was 46. He is survived by is son Ryker.
Bauza’s family announced his death with a short statement shared on his Instagram account on Sunday, Oct. 25.
According to a report released by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, Bauza died at his residence on Sunday from hypertensive cardiovascular disease.
The voice actor’s death came a day after he posted a photo on Instagram of himself with animator and director David Silverman at the LightBox Expo in Pasadena. He also shared footage taken inside New York City’s Spring Street subway to celebrate 30 years since the release of the movie Space Jam.
Bauza voiced Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd and Foghorn Leghorn in 2021’s Space Jam: A New Legacy. He reprised the roles and that of Road Runner earlier this year in Coyote vs. Acme.
Chris DeFaria, who produced the 2026 movie, told Variety he would remember Bauza as someone with an “absolutely tireless dedication” to the animation art form.
“He embodied everything we wanted from this film, including the major theme of the movie that a little guy can make a difference in this world,” DeFaria told the outlet, referring to Coyote vs. Acme. “He’s a voiceover artist for animated characters that have historic precedents and roles, and somehow out of that, he carved out a place in this business.
“And this past year, he had such an incredible impact, both on our movie, of course, but also on bringing attention to this amazing art form,” the producer added
Born in Toronto on Dec. 7, 1979, Bauza began his career as a character designer at production studios in Hollywood, according to The Hollywood Reporter. In a 2021 interview with NBC News, he recalled being a fan of Looney Tunes throughout childhood and copying characters’ voices.
“Looney Tunes transcends all languages and all cultures,” Bauza, who was of Filipino descent, told the outlet. “There are some cartoons that don’t even have English-speaking parts in it. There are some Looney Tunes cartoons that are pantomimes.
“It doesn’t matter what part of the planet you’re from. You get the comedy,” he added.
Bauza racked up over 400 acting credits, including voicing Toad General in 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie and its sequel The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. This year, he appeared in the animated film Forgotten Island, Rick and Morty, as well as Minions & Monsters.
Bauza was in pre-production to voice Daffy Duck in the upcoming movie Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical at the time of his death, according to IMDb.
According to IMDb, Bauza is survived by his one child.
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