Bauza Dies at 46 at Home

Eric Bauza died at his home on Sunday, aged 46, following a sudden cardiac event. His family confirmed the news via an Instagram post, describing his passing as abrupt. Variety reported that the cause of death was hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

Bauza was the voice behind several iconic Looney Tunes characters. He provided voices for Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn, and the Road Runner in the 2021 film Space Jam: A New Legacy. He reprised those roles in the summer release Coyote vs. Acme. He also appeared in the recent film Forgotten Island.

Beyond Looney Tunes, Bauza voiced the Toad General in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and its sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. The latter film became the fifth highest-grossing movie internationally this year. He received three Emmy awards for outstanding voice performance between 2022 and 2025.

Born in Ontario, Bauza was of Filipino descent. He told NBC News in 2021 that he grew up imitating the characters. "Looney Tunes transcends all languages and all cultures," he said. "It doesn't matter what part of the planet you're from. You get the comedy."

Channing Dungey, chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group and US Networks, released a statement honoring the actor. Dungey called Bauza a unique voice talent who brought joy to millions. He noted that Bauza followed the path of Mel Blanc and considered carrying on the Looney Tunes legacy a great honor.