Celebrated voice artist, animator, and multiple Emmy Award winner Eric Bauza has passed away on Saturday night apparently in his sleep, of natural causes, at the age of 47. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner Report is online here. Bauza was widely known for breathing life into iconic characters such as Bugs Bunny and Marvin the Martian.
Bauza reflects on his career voicing iconic characters
Starting out as an animator, Bauza first voiced Marvin the Martian on television in Duck Dodgers more than 20 years ago. Reflecting on his career and the legacy of the characters he portrayed, Bauza recalled starting out in the studio doing impressions of the people around him, and even running around as a nine-year-old child doing impressions of Bugs Bunny and other characters. Bauza shared a memorable perspective on his work:
Any time I get to voice these characters, I always say that I’ve gotten to take the Cadillac out for a spin, And I always promise not to scratch it – and to put some gas back in the tank.
Bauza noted that he was just a custodian for now of how the characters are taken care of, acknowledging that he will not be the last person to voice them. Daffy Duck will make a splash in Coyote vs. Acme alongside Wile E. Acme in theaters.
Reflections from Colleagues and Press Notes
Press notes for the film Coyote Vs. Acme noted Bauza’s role as a ball of uproarious energy responsible for many of the animated co-stars. During a Zoom table read for the project, Bauza delivered voices for stars including John Cena, Lana Condor, and Will Forte. Bauza reflected on the experience:
You know, I’m just some young Filipino guy from Canada, so I don’t think anyone was expecting that voice to come out of me.
Forte recalled the experience of hearing those performances:
Eric Bauza has sadly passed away at 46. 🕊️❤️"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. More details to come." pic.twitter.com/99hmvVjVKi
Until that point, whenever I would read the script, I’d be there doing all the different voices myself. That can drive you a little crazy.
More on Eric Bauza
THE VOICE OF BUGS BUNNY IS GONE AT 46. Eric Bauza — the Emmy winner who carried Bugs, Daffy, Porky and Tweety for a whole new generation — died suddenly Sunday, his family says. Here's what it actually means 🧵 1/4 pic.twitter.com/DSvfjeWSrc
