Family of Bugs Bunny voice actor Eric Bauza says he ‘passed away suddenly at 46.’ Now, a medical examiner has revealed his cause of death

Eric Bauza, the voice behind some of the most famous cartoon characters in history, died suddenly on Sunday at his home. He was 46 years old, and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner cited hypertensive cardiovascular disease as the cause, according to the Los Angeles Magazine. The medical examiner also reportedly listed sleep apnea and obesity as contributing factors.

His family shared the news on Instagram. They wrote, “Eric 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.” This post did not give a cause of death. However, the family said more details would come later.

Eric Bauza was a prolific performer with more than 400 credits. He was a regular sight at comic conventions and animation events, where he often discussed his craft. His death appears to have caught many off guard, as he had reportedly posted a photo from the LightBox Expo with The Simpsons director David Silverman the day before.

Bauza had been voicing cartoons for more than 20 years

His career began in the early 2000s when he started working on Ren & Stimpy. He became a fixture in series like Avatar, Dora, Lego, Minions, Bob’s Burgers, and Rick and Morty. He later took over Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck and won three Children’s & Family Emmy Awards for Teen Titans Go!, Bugs Bunny Builders, and Looney Tunes Cartoons.

Many people likely heard his work recently in Coyote vs. Acme. That movie sat on a shelf for years, as Warner Bros. reportedly chose a tax write-off over a release. However, Ketchup Entertainment acquired it in 2025 and released it this summer, where it reportedly earned over $100 million.

Eric Bauza voiced a long list of characters in that movie, including Porky Pig, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety and Road Runner. Warner Bros. Television Group chairman Channing Dungey said that Bauza “followed in the footsteps of giants like Mel Blanc.” Dungey added that Bauza saw carrying on the Looney Tunes legacy as among his greatest honors.

That connection ran deep for Eric Bauza, as the classic Mel Blanc cartoons were part of the bond he shared with his Filipino immigrant father and grandfather, he previously told NBC. Born in Toronto, he moved to the United States to study animation and worked as a character designer before turning to voice acting. Warner Bros. has not yet publicly named who will voice Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck in the future.

Hypertensive heart disease refers to heart problems caused by long-term high blood pressure, according to MedlinePlus. The heart has to pump harder against that pressure, and the muscle can thicken and weaken over time, which may lead to heart failure. The condition often goes unnoticed, as high blood pressure usually causes no symptoms until damage has already occurred.