Eric Bauza, the man credited with giving Bugs Bunny and a host of other loveable “Looney Tunes” characters a voice in the modern movie era, has died, according to his family.
The family of the 46-year-old Emmy-award winner issued a statement on his Instagram paging indicating that he had “passed away suddenly”. No further details were given.
It confirmed Bauza’s status as the “modern voice of iconic ‘Looney Tunes’ characters Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck”.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office said that Bauza had died at his home and referenced his diagnosis of hypertensive cardiovascular disease, according to NBC.
“Eric was a unique and versatile voice actor who was loved by everyone he knew and worked with,” Bauza’s manager Judy Coppage told the news website.
“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. The pleasure of watching him succeed and excel to become one of the most accomplished voices in animation was rewarding and thrilling.”
Bauza was part of the box office success of Coyote vs Acme, a surprise summer blockbuster which grossed $US101.5 million just three years after it was initially sideline by Warner Brothers as a tax write-off.
For Coyote vs Acme he voiced not only Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, but other Looney Tunes mainstays Porky, Tweety, Road Runner, Elmer Fudd and Foghorn Leghorn.
His other considerable credits included Space Jam: A New Legacy, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Unikitty! and DuckTales.
Coyote vs Acme producer Chris DeFaria told Variety that Bauza stood out for 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,” DeFaria told the entertainment site.
US media also reported that Bauza saw himself as a trailblazer given his status as the first Asian-American voice actor to voice Looney Tunes characters in the modern era.