Eric Bauza to Make Posthumous Debut on The Simpsons

Voice actor Eric Bauza will make his posthumous debut on The Simpsons on November 15, voicing restaurateur Mr. Fong and newspaper editor Harry Metsali in an episode titled “Dream Scenari-Moe,” Variety reported.

An Animation Legacy Cut Short

Bauza passed away on October 25 at the age of 46 from hypertensive cardiovascular disease, according to records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office cited by Deadline. The medical examiner listed sleep apnea and class 2 obesity as contributing significant conditions, ruling the manner of death natural. Before his unexpected death, Bauza accumulated more than 400 acting credits, voicing major animated characters including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepé Le Pew, Porky Pig, Road Runner, Elmer Fudd, and Marvin the Martian.

Despite his extensive career in animation—which included work on Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Fairly OddParents, Phineas and Ferb, Rick and Morty, and this year’s Coyote vs. Acme—voicing a character on The Simpsons had remained one of the few iconic shows that had eluded him until recently.

Recording Sessions for “Dream Scenari-Moe”

Cesar Mazariegos, co-executive producer and co-showrunner for the episode, recalled Bauza’s enthusiasm during recording sessions. “Everything people have said about Eric, before and after his untimely passing, is absolutely true,” Mazariegos told Variety. “He was so funny, kind, creative and just immensely talented. We reached out to him to play two New-Yorky characters for our ‘Dream Scenari-Moe’ episode, and he knocked it out of the park.”

According to Mazariegos, Bauza completed two recording sessions for the show, moving easily through multiple voices and riffing off-mic. During his visit to the studio, Bauza signed the production’s Wall-of-Fame and drew a rendering of Bugs Bunny, revealing his early beginnings as an animator.

The “Dream Scenari-Moe” episode is scheduled to air on Sunday, November 15, at 8 p.m. on Fox. The logline states: “When Moe has trouble sleeping, he enrolls in a brand-new sleep study that gives him the greatest romantic comedy dreams of his life. But unbeknownst to him, his beautiful fantasy comes at a nightmarish price.” Guest voices for the episode include Meg Ryan as Sam and Saturday Night Live cast member James Austin Johnson as Dr. De La Manana.

Voice Actors Share Memories of Bauza

Following the announcement of Bauza’s death, colleagues and fellow voice actors shared memories and tributes. Sunil Malhotra posted a congratulatory note Bauza had previously sent him alongside a photo from when they first met at a 2017 animation students panel at LMU, Variety reported.

Mazariegos reflected on the broader impact of the loss on the creative community, telling Variety that Bauza’s passing was a devastating blow “to his young family, to a generation of animation fans, to an industry that’s being hobbled by greed and AI.”

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