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Seth MacFarlane

Acting

Born October 26, 1973 · Kent, Connecticut, USA

Also known as Seth Woodbury MacFarlane · Seth Mac Farlane · Seth McFarlane

Biography

Seth Woodbury MacFarlane (born October 26, 1973) is an American animator, writer, comedian, producer, actor, singer, voice actor, and director best known for creating the animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, for which he also voices many of the shows' various characters. A native of Kent, Connecticut, MacFarlane is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, where he studied animation, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. He was an animator and writer for Hanna-Barbera for several television shows, including Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken and Dexter's Laboratory, before creating his own series for 20th Century Fox entitled Family Guy in 1999. MacFarlane would go on to co-create American Dad! in 2005, The Winner in 2007 and The Cleveland Show in 2009 for 20th Century Fox. As an actor, he has made guest appearances on shows such as Gilmore Girls, The War at Home and FlashForward. MacFarlane's interest in science fiction and fantasy has led to cameo and guest appearances on Star Trek: Enterprise and voicing the character of Johann Kraus in Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy II: The Golden Army. In 2008, he created his own YouTube series entitled Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy. As a performer, MacFarlane has sung at several venues, including Carnegie and Royal Albert Hall. MacFarlane has won several awards for his work on Family Guy, including two Primetime Emmy Awards, and an Annie Award. In 2009, he won the Webby Award for Film & Video Person of the Year. He has been a subject of criticism from television watchdog groups, such as the Parents Television Council, who regularly condemn Family Guy for its indecency. He occasionally speaks at universities and colleges throughout the United States, and is a supporter of gay rights. On the February 10, 2011 episode of the TBS variety nighttime talk-show series Conan, MacFarlane announced he is directing his first feature-length film, Ted. The film stars Mark Wahlberg as an adult, who as a child, wished his teddy bear would come to life. MacFarlane will be the voice and motion capture for the bear.

Awards & recognition

  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Character Voice-Over Performance · 2019
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Character Voice-Over Performance · 2017
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Character Voice-Over Performance · 2016
  • MTV Movie AwardBest On-Screen Duo · 2013
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Original Music and Lyrics · 2002
Show all 8 awards →
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Voice-Over Performance · 2000
  • star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
  • Academy AwardBest Original Song · 2013 · nominated

Filmography50+ titles

Cosmos: Possible Worlds

2020

Pencils vs Pixels

2023as Self

Gwen Stefani: You Make It Feel Like Christmas

2017as Self

Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

2014as Giordano Bruno (voice)

Futurama

1999as Seymour (voice)

Bones

2005as Stewie Griffin (voice)

Music by John Williams

2024as Self - Filmmaker / Vocalist

ted

2024as Ted (voice)

The Simpsons

1989as Ben (voice)

Phineas and Ferb

2007as Jeff McGarland (voice)

Gilmore Girls

2000as Zach

The Orville

2017as Capt. Ed Mercer

Yin Yang Yo!

2006as The Manotaur (voice)

Robot Chicken

2005as Lion-O / Dan / Narrator (voice)

Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II

2008as Emperor Palpatine / Dr. Ball / Figrin D'an (voice)

Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest

2007as Peter Griffin as Han Solo / Brian Griffin as Chewbacca / Stewie Griffin as Darth Vader / Glenn Quagmire as C-3PO / Tom Tucker as Imperial Newscaster / Carter Pewterschmidt as Uncle Owen / Safeguard #1 / Italian #2 / White Guard #2 (voice)

Star Trek: Enterprise

2001as Ensign Rivers

Aqua Teen Hunger Force

2000as Wayne "The Brain" McClain (voice)

The Loudest Voice

2019as Brian Lewis

Family Guy

1999as Peter Griffin / Brian Griffin / Stewie Griffin / Glenn Quagmire (voice)

Robot Chicken: Star Wars

2007as Emperor Palpatine (voice)

Johnny Bravo

1997Teleplay, Writer

Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen

2011as Self - Roastmaster

Conan

2010as Self

The Graham Norton Show

2007as Self

The Truth Is in the Stars

2017as Self

Sing

2016as Mike (voice)

Cow and Chicken

1997Writer

Mad TV

1995as Seth MacFarlane / Peter Griffin

Hart to Heart

as Self

Starring Adam West

2013as Self

Flashforward

2009as Agent Jake Curdy

American Dad!

2005as Stan Smith / Roger (voice)

Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff

2010as Self - Roastmaster

Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story

2005as Stewie Griffin / Various Characters (voice)

Saturday Night Live

1975as Self - Host

Family Guy Presents: It's a Trap!

2010as Peter Griffin as Han Solo / Stewie Griffin as Darth Vader / Brian Griffin as Chewbacca / Glenn Quagmire as C-3PO / Carter Pewterschmidt as Emperor Palpatine / Roger as Moff Jerjerrod / Tim the Bear as Wickett / Live Studio Ostrich / Pee-wee Herman (voice)

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

2008as Johann Krauss (voice)

Logan Lucky

2017as Max Chilblain

Blunt Talk

2015Executive Producer

StarTalk

2015as Self

Comedy Central Roast of Donald Trump

2011as Self

Jungle Cubs

Writer

Ted

2012as Ted (voice)

The Naked Gun

2025Producer

The Kelly Clarkson Show

2019as Self

The Drawn Together Movie!

2010as I.S.R.A.E.L. (aka Intelligent Smart Robotic Animated Eraser Lady) (voice)

The Daily Show

1996as Self

Books of Blood

2020Executive Producer

Ted 2

2015as Ted (voice)