Eric Bauza, the Canadian-born voice actor who carried Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck for a new generation, has died suddenly at 46 from natural causes in Los Angeles County.

Bauza died Sunday at a home in Los Angeles County, Page Six reported, citing Los Angeles County medical examiner records. Officials listed the cause as hypertensive cardiovascular disease, heart disease linked to high blood pressure, and ruled the manner of death natural. They also noted sleep apnea and class two obesity.

His family shared the news on his Instagram page the same day, saying he “passed away suddenly” and that “More details to come.”

The loss lands hard in animation. Bauza spent 15 years at Warner Bros. Animation as the modern voice of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, following the path of Mel Blanc, long known as “The Man of a Thousand Voices.” Fans who grew up on those characters now face another sudden entertainment farewell, much like the recent mourning after Shelley Fabares died at 82.

Manager and studio leaders call the loss profound

Longtime manager Judy Coppage told NBCLA that Bauza was a “unique and versatile voice actor.”

“His sudden passing is a shock to all of us, and he will be deeply missed. It’s a profound loss for his family, the animation industry and his fans.”

Coppage added that watching him become one of the most accomplished voices in animation was “rewarding and thrilling.”

Channing Dungey, chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group and U.S. Networks, said Bauza brought joy and laughter to millions and treated the Looney Tunes legacy as one of 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.”

Families across Hollywood have faced similar sudden goodbyes in recent months, including the Chad Lowe family mourning their 13-year-old daughter.

A 25-year run from designer to Looney Tunes lead

Born in Scarborough, Toronto, Bauza started as a character designer with Hollywood production studios before moving into voice work. His on-screen career dated to 2001 with “The Ripping Friends.”

He built a deep résumé: Tiger Claw and others on “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”; Driba, Diamondhead, and Dr. Psychobos across 52 episodes of “Ben 10: Omniverse” from 2012 to 2014; Drift and more on “Transformers: Robots in Disguise” from 2015 to 2017. Credits also included “Bob’s Burgers,” “Rick and Morty,” “The Mighty Ones,” “The Book of Life,” and “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.” He played Woody Woodpecker for Universal and won three Children’s & Family Emmy Awards.

In 2018 he voiced Bugs and Daffy in the game “Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem.” From 2019 to 2023 he led “Looney Tunes Cartoons” in those same roles, and he starred in “The New Looney Tunes” as Pepe Le Pew and Marvin the Martian.

This year he reprised Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck in “Coyote vs. Acme,” opposite Will Forte, Lana Condor, and John Cena. Producer Chris DeFaria told Variety that Bauza fit the film’s core idea that a little guy can make a difference.

“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.”

IMDb listed an upcoming turn as Daffy Duck in “Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical,” then in pre-production. Sudden passings keep hitting the wider entertainment world, from actors to musicians such as steel guitar legend Tommy Detamore, dead at 70.

Bauza was 46. The medical examiner case is listed as 2026-16998. The family has asked for patience while more details are prepared.

Talent that keeps classic American cartoons alive for kids and parents alike is rare, and when it is gone too soon, the quiet in the sound booth is hard to miss.