Voice Actor Eric Bauza, 46, Lends Two Voices to Nov. 15 Simpsons Episode
The actor, who died Oct. 25 from hypertensive cardiovascular disease, voices a restaurateur and a newspaper editor in 'Dream Scenari-Moe.'
By Hana Gray ·
Eric Bauza, who voiced Bugs Bunny and other Looney Tunes characters, died on Oct. 25 at age 46. He died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease.
Two weeks before his death, Bauza recorded voices for an upcoming episode of The Simpsons. The episode, titled 'Dream Scenari-Moe,' airs Nov. 15 on Fox. It will mark his first appearance on the long-running animated series.
Cesar Mazariegos, co-executive producer and co-showrunner of the episode, said Bauza voiced two characters: Mr. Fong, a restaurateur, and Harry Metsali, a newspaper editor. Mazariegos said Bauza recorded the parts across two sessions.
'He seamlessly dipped in and out of dozens of voices, both to give us options and just hilariously riffing while off-mic,' Mazariegos said. 'He signed our Wall-of-Fame and drew an amazingly rendered Bugs Bunny on it. That's how we found out he started as an animator!'
Mazariegos said he and Bauza had crossed paths at the Creative Arts Emmys the previous month. He added that executive producer Matt Selman had seen Bauza at an event the week before the actor's death.
'He was absolutely someone we were excited to have come in again and again, and then we heard the news,' Mazariegos said. 'It was such a shock.'
Bauza accumulated more than 400 acting credits. His credits include Avatar: The Last Airbender, Chowder, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, Fanboy & Chum Chum, Ben 10 Omniverse, Rick and Morty, Superkitties, and Avatar: Seven Havens. He also voiced several characters in this year's Coyote vs. Acme.
The Nov. 15 episode also features guest voices from Meg Ryan, who plays Sam, and James Austin Johnson, who plays Dr. De La Manana.
Sunil Malhotra, who voices Apu on The Simpsons, posted about Bauza on Instagram this week. Malhotra shared a congratulatory message Bauza sent him after his casting was announced, along with a photo of the pair from 2017.
'He was already a legend, and I was in awe of him,' Malhotra wrote. 'He made me feel like a peer.'
Source: Variety
