Eric Bauza’s death in October shocked the entertainment industry. A prolific voice actor, it would have been almost impossible for anyone involved in animation over the past 15 years not to have come across his work. Bauza’s death came just two months after a delay in the release of “Coyote vs. Acme,” the “Looney Tunes” feature that was once considered unreleased by Warner Bros. Discovery and was later sold to Ketchup Entertainment. The film, which grossed $101 million worldwide, is a showcase for Bauza, who lends his voice to several iconic characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn, Tweety, and Porky Pig.
Bauza became the leading voice of today’s “Looney Tunes” in its later years. Fans will see him give one last performance with the property in “Daffy Season,” a 7-minute animated short that plays before screenings of “The Cat in the Hat,” opening Friday from Warner Bros. Pictures at Skydance. A representative from the studio confirmed to IndieWire that the short will be Bauza’s last “Looney Tunes” film. Bauza is also believed to be providing additional vocals for “The Cat in the Hat.”
“Daffy Season” is based on Daffy Duck, voiced by Bauza. He is joined by Jeff Bergman as Bugs Bunny, Gabriel Iglesias as Speedy Gonzales, and Jeannie Tirado as Lola Bunny. The plot follows Daffy, turning a blind eye to his fellow Tunes as they worry about football. Todd Wilderman and Hamish Grieve are co-directors. “Daffy Season” is the first “Looney Tunes” theatrical release since “Daffy’s Rhapsody” played before “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” back in 2012.
Before “Daffy Season”, Bauza had already provided some voice work for a “Tunes” music feature titled “Bye Bye Bunny,” which was canceled after several years of development and production. Bauza’s other “Looney Tunes” credits include the HBO Max series “Looney Tunes Cartoons” and the features “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie” and “Space Jam: A New Legacy.”
Bauza died at his home in Los Angeles on October 25 due to hypertensive cardiovascular disease. In a tribute in the Hollywood Reporter, a producer of Warner Bros.
“There wasn’t one rabbit he couldn’t or couldn’t mention,” she said. “I don’t think you can replace Eric Bauza … The hole he leaves is huge. There are a lot of talented people out there, and the franchise will move forward. But there’s only one Eric Bauza.”