Eric Bauza’s voice is everywhere — whether you recognize it or not. The Toronto-born voice actor has lent his vocal talents to some of the most beloved animated characters of all time, from Bugs Bunny to Daffy Duck, Marvin the Martian and even Woody Woodpecker. His journey from a cartoon-obsessed kid growing up in the city to becoming the official voice of Looney Tunes’s most iconic characters is a testament to a lifelong passion for animation.
Bauza was born in Toronto to Filipino immigrant parents who, like many newcomers, sought stability for their family through secure government jobs. But Bauza’s interests were different — from a young age, he was enamoured with Saturday morning cartoons, particularly The Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show.
“You grow up on the Disney side of the fence or the Warner Brothers side of the fence,” he says. “I always gravitated toward Hanna-Barbera and Warner Brothers. They’re nostalgic and mean a lot to me; it’s comfort food. My brother Alan and I would watch and crack up.”
Bauza was especially inspired by Mel Blanc, the legendary voice actor behind Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Sylvester the Cat and more. He was nicknamed “The Man of 1,000 Voices.” Blanc could sing, too, which had Bauza learning how to inject a little sing-along energy into his impressions — which he has a habit of bursting into. (Even, delightfully, in this interview!)
Family, too, has been an inspiration.
He shares, “Growing up with parents from a different country, of course, the Filipino accent comes through. And then, you go to the family gatherings… you start copying voices. I guess I was like a little parrot or something.”
But he didn’t just learn how to do the voices; he could draw them, too.
“Fast-forward to elementary school and high school, I was always that kid that people would ask, ‘Hey, can you draw this for me?’” he says. “Even teachers would be like, ‘Hey, can you draw that?’”
Humour and mimicry became second nature, and by high school, he was a full-fledged class clown. With a laugh, he shares, “I noticed I was able to copy voices and do impressions of people — sometimes teachers and principals that maybe I shouldn’t be doing.”
Teachers, however, found a way to channel his talent: “They’d be like, ‘OK, look, we get it — you’re funny. We want to encourage your sense of humour, but get your work done first. Then, tomorrow, we’ll let you go on the P.A. system to do the morning announcements.’”
FAST FACTS
Name: Eric Bauza
Favourite restaurant: Swiss Chalet and St. Andrews Fish & Chips
Favourite thing to do in the city: Catch a Raptors game
Favourite place to unwind: His parents’ living room, Congee Queen or Dragon Pearl Buffet
Voice actor idol: Mel Blanc
Initially, Bauza studied broadcasting at Centennial College. But in his third year he took a leap of faith, heading to California to chase a production assistant position at an animation studio in Los Angeles. His professor warned him against taking the risk.
“He said, ‘You know, Eric, it’s nice to dream, but I think you should stay in town. There’s no risk that way, and you won’t have to pay rent,’” Bauza recalls. “But I took that as a challenge.”
The moment he arrived in L.A., he called the studio. “The producer had this rough voice. He said, ‘How much do you charge?’ I said, ‘Nothing. Free.’ He goes, ‘You start tomorrow.’”
That was in 1999. Bauza worked his way up in animation, first behind the scenes, then breaking into voice acting. His first major role was on Nickelodeon’s El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera, voicing a Mexican wrestling dad. From there, he began landing more roles, eventually seamlessly stepping into the voices of some of the most iconic animated characters of all time. Now the official voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Marvin the Martian, he carries the legacy of Blanc, adding his own nuances to the characters.
For Bauza, it’s more than just a job — it’s about keeping these characters alive for new generations.
“It’s like being able to put on a cape or a Santa Claus costume,” he says. “You do the voice and you put a smile on their face.” (He particularly loves to surprise customs agents at the airport.)
Despite his Hollywood success, Bauza remains fiercely proud of his Toronto roots. During our conversation, he wears a Scarborough hoodie with pride, and still returns home often to visit family. And then, of course, there’s his deep, abiding love for Swiss Chalet.
“Every time I visit home for the holidays, there’s always an influencer box from Swiss Chalet waiting for me,” he jokes. “I swear they only make it for me.”
With an impressive IMDb page that spans everything from Ultimate Spider-Man to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Rick and Morty, as well as a role in the soon-to-stream Disney series StuGo, Bauza now has his sights set on potential feature films. But even if that doesn’t pan out, he’s content.
“At the end of the day, it’s about sharing the magic of animation with my son,” he says. “It’s really fun having worked on these cartoons all my life, but then getting to sit down with your own kid and watch something that you’ve made, and see them enjoy it? I took him to the Super Mario Bros. Movie premiere, and seeing him experience that—it’s what makes it all worth it.”
As for the secret to longevity in animation? “Who needs Botox when you have cartoons?” he quips. “It keeps you young.”
And with that, he slips effortlessly into Bugs: “Eh, what’s up, doc? That’s all, folks!”
