Versatile Emmy-winning Canadian actor and voice actor Eric Bauza passed away Sunday October 26 at his home as a result of hypertensive cardiovascular disease, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner records. He was only 46.
Bauza was Mel Blanc’s successor as the modern voice of most of the Looney Tunes characters.
“”The Looney Tunes were here before I was born and they’re definitely going to be here long after I leave this realm,” he said shortly before the release of Coyote vs. Acme. “I just feel like the luckiest guy.”
No, Mr. Bauza, we were lucky to have you. We can only hope your successor is half as skilled as you were.
Bauza was nominated for five Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on “Looney Tunes Cartoons,” “Muppet Babies” and “The Adventures of Puss in Boots.” He won three Children’s & Family Emmy Awards for “Teen Titans Go!,” “Bugs Bunny Builders” and “Looney Tunes Cartoons,” and earned a nomination for “Daffy in Wackyland.”
At the time of his death, Bauza was in pre-production on two projects, “Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical” as Daffy Duck and “The Dragon Masters” as The Shogun King.
Chris DeFaria, who produced “Coyote vs. Acme,” said that he will remember Bauza as someone with an “absolutely tireless dedication” to the animation art form, and reflected on his “pure expression of dedication, talent, enthusiasm, love and fun.”
“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,” said DeFaria. “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.”
“Eric Bauza was a unique voice talent who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world. During his 15 years at Warner Bros. Animation, he was the voice of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck among countless other characters,” said Warner Bros. Television Group and US Networks Chairman Channing Dungey and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation President and Chief Creative Officer Bill Damaschke in a statement. “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. In addition to his incredible talent, Eric was a treasured part of our animation family. Our hearts go out to his loved ones.”
Eric Bauza was born December 7, 1970, Bauza was born on Dec. 7, 1979, in Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He died October 26, 2026, in Los Angeles, California, USA of hyperintensive cardiovascular disease. Filipino by heritage, he attended St. John Henry Newman Catholic High School in the Toronto neighborhood of Scarborough from 1993 to 1996. then went on to Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology. He graduated from Centenniel in 2000. He was in the Radio, Television, and Film Program. He went on to an internship with Spumco, starting as an animator, then moving to voice work.
Bauza was a production assistant on Weekend Pussy Hunt and The Ripping Friends which was his first voice acting role. His breakthrough role was as the voice of Stimpy on Ren & Stimpy “Adult Party Cartoon,” taking over the role of Stimpy from Billy West.
He later appeared in El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera as White Pantera, El Tigre’s father. On Superjail!, Bauza voiced the villainous Lord Stingray. This was followed by Dr. Psychobos on Ben 10: Omniverse. and Marvin the Martian on The Looney Tunes Show.
Between 2001 and 2025, Eric Bauza amassed more than 400 voice acting credits, with roles ranging from Baby Fozzie and Bunsen Honeydew on Muppet Babies to Bugs Bunny, Foghorn Leghorn, Police Commissioner James Gordon of Gotham City, Puss in Boots, and Luke Skywalker in Star Wars Droid Tales and Lego Star Wars: the Yoda Chronicles, Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy (2018), Scrooge McDuck,, Woody Woodpecker, Jerry Mouse, and Donatello Turtle, and of course, like most voice actors, the ever popular “Various Voices”. Bauza voiced at least three roles on Star Trek Lower Decks: conn officer of the Cerritos, Captain Gem, and a Cardassian.
Between 2014 and 2021 Bauza was nominated for twelve awards, winning three Emmy awards. It’s very likely he’ll be nominated for a posthumous Oscar for his masterful work in Coyote vs. Acme.
Bauza voiced characters for nearly every major franchise: Looney Tunes, DC, Marvel, MCU, Disney, and more. We express our condolences to the family and friends of Eric Bauza, and out thanks, sir, for the many hours of entertainment. You made people laugh and brightened their lives, and that’s a better epitaph than most folks earn.
Susan Macdonald is the author of the children's book "R is for Renaissance Faire", as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in "Alternative Truths", "Swords and Sorceress #30", Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, "Cat Tails" "Under Western Stars", and "Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid". Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio's web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows. Her nonfiction book THEY ENDURED will be published by B Cubed Press in 2025 or 2026.
