Eric Bauza's Posthumous Simpsons Debut Airs November 15 on Fox in Two Roles

Eric Bauza, the Emmy-winning voice of Bugs Bunny, will make his posthumous debut on The Simpsons on Sunday, November 15, 2026, when Fox airs the episode "Dream Scenari-Moe" — just three weeks after the voice actor died suddenly at his Los Angeles home, aged 46. Bauza recorded two roles for the long-running animated comedy before his death, restaurateur Mr Fong and newspaper editor Harry Metsali, and producers have confirmed that both performances will air exactly as he recorded them.

The news turns what would have been an ordinary November episode of television's longest-running scripted prime-time series into a farewell. Bauza completed two recording sessions for the show, and the episode's co-showrunner, Cesar Mazariegos, said the actor "knocked it out of the park", dipping in and out of dozens of voices as he worked.

Key Points

• Eric Bauza makes his posthumous Simpsons debut in "Dream Scenari-Moe", airing Sunday, November 15, 2026, on Fox.
• He recorded two roles before his death: restaurateur Mr Fong and newspaper editor Harry Metsali.
• Co-showrunner Cesar Mazariegos said Bauza "knocked it out of the park", slipping in and out of dozens of voices during his two sessions.
• The episode centres on Moe joining a sleep study that gives him romantic-comedy dreams with a frightening consequence, and also features Meg Ryan as Sam and James Austin Johnson as Dr. De La Manana.
• Bauza, 46, died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease at his Los Angeles home on October 25, 2026. He had more than 400 acting credits.

What Happened

Fox and The Simpsons production team confirmed this week that "Dream Scenari-Moe" will air as scheduled on November 15, 2026. The episode was recorded before Bauza's death, and the producers have decided to leave his work untouched: nothing has been re-recorded, and no other actor has been brought in to replace him.

The story centres on Moe Szyslak, the long-suffering bartender of Moe's Tavern, who signs up for a sleep study. The experiment gives him romantic-comedy dreams before the dreams take a frightening turn. Bauza's two characters sit on opposite sides of Springfield life: Mr Fong, a restaurateur, and Harry Metsali, a newspaper editor. The pairing shows the range that made Bauza one of the most in-demand voice actors of his generation.

Background: Who Was Eric Bauza?

Bauza was the modern voice of the Looney Tunes, inheriting the roles Mel Blanc created — Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety and Foghorn Leghorn — and carrying that legacy with a lightness and precision that won him an Emmy Award. His credits ran to more than 400 roles, including Teen Titans Go!, Chowder, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, and the 2026 film Coyote vs. Acme.

Bauza died suddenly at his Los Angeles home on Sunday, October 25, 2026, aged 46. His family announced his death that evening on Instagram. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later ruled the cause hypertensive cardiovascular disease, the manner of death natural, with sleep apnoea and class 2 obesity as significant contributing conditions. The news stunned the animation world, where Bauza was known for his talent, his warmth and his visible joy in the work.

Eric Bauza's Simpsons Debut: Two Roles in One Episode

For a voice actor of Bauza's standing, a first appearance on The Simpsons was a milestone in its own right. The show, on air since 1989, is the longest-running scripted prime-time series in American television history, and a guest spot is one of the few honours animation still holds in reserve. Bauza earned his in the recording booth, and he made the most of it: two characters, two sessions, and a performance his colleagues are still talking about.

Mazariegos described a performer at the top of his game, moving between voices with the ease of someone who had spent a lifetime inside them. During his sessions, Bauza also signed the show's Wall of Fame and drew Bugs Bunny, a small, personal gesture that now reads as a poignant farewell from one cartoon icon to another. The episode also features Meg Ryan as Sam and James Austin Johnson, the comedian known for his impressions, as Dr. De La Manana, the sleep-study doctor whose experiment sets Moe's dreams in motion.

Reactions and Tributes

Tributes poured in after his death was announced, from fellow voice actors, animators and fans who had grown up with his performances. Colleagues spoke of a performer who treated every session as a joy and every character as a responsibility, and who understood that voicing Bugs Bunny was not just a job but a trust passed down from Mel Blanc. The decision to air the episode as recorded has been widely welcomed: in an industry that sometimes rushes to replace or erase, keeping Bauza's performances intact is a mark of respect for the actor, the work and the audience.

Why It Matters

Bauza's death at 46 cut short a career still rising. He was the voice of the most famous cartoon characters in the world, a regular in the biggest animated franchises, and a performer whose range seemed limitless. The Simpsons episode matters because it is the last new performance of his that audiences will ever hear — and a measure of his standing, that a show as careful about its legacy as The Simpsons would keep his work unaltered after his death.

Voice actors are often invisible, their faces unknown even as their voices are among the most recognised sounds in popular culture. Bauza's death, and the attention paid to his final role, has put that invisible craft in the spotlight — a reminder that the cartoons we love are performances, given by real people, in real rooms, with real microphones.

What Happens Next

"Dream Scenari-Moe" airs on Fox on Sunday, November 15, 2026. The producers have not said whether a dedication will appear on screen, but the circumstances make one likely. Beyond the episode, Bauza's legacy is secure in the work he left behind: hundreds of performances and a generation of fans who will hear his voice every time Bugs Bunny says "What's up, Doc?"

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Eric Bauza's Simpsons episode air?
"Dream Scenari-Moe" airs on Sunday, November 15, 2026, on Fox.

Who does Eric Bauza play in the episode?
He voices two characters: restaurateur Mr Fong and newspaper editor Harry Metsali, both recorded before his death.

How did Eric Bauza die?
He died suddenly at his Los Angeles home on October 25, 2026, aged 46. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled the cause hypertensive cardiovascular disease, with sleep apnoea and class 2 obesity as significant contributing conditions, and the manner of death natural.

What is the episode about?
Moe joins a sleep study that gives him romantic-comedy dreams with a frightening consequence. It also features Meg Ryan as Sam and James Austin Johnson as Dr. De La Manana.

Was Eric Bauza the voice of Bugs Bunny?
Yes. Bauza was the modern voice of Bugs Bunny, as well as Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety and Foghorn Leghorn, and he had more than 400 acting credits.

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