---
name: "Seth MacFarlane"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/seth-macfarlane"
fi1m_id: "seth-macfarlane"
imdb_id: "nm0532235"
tmdb_id: 52139
wikidata_id: "Q188492"
roles: ["Actor","Writer","Director"]
born: "26 October 1973"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 9
average_fi1m_score: 66
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-10-23T20:56:48.660958+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Seth MacFarlane

## Identity

Seth MacFarlane

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/seth-macfarlane
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** seth-macfarlane
- **IMDb ID:** nm0532235
- **TMDB ID:** 52139
- **Wikidata ID:** Q188492
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seth_MacFarlane, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188492, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532235/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/52139

Actor and writer. Born 26 October 1973 in Kent, Connecticut, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor, Writer, Director
- **Born:** 26 October 1973, Kent, Connecticut, USA
- **Active:** 1999–present
- **Also known as:** Seth Woodbury MacFarlane, Seth Mac Farlane, Seth McFarlane, سيث ماكفارلن, 塞思·麦克法兰, セス・マクファーレン, 세스 맥팔레인, Σεθ Γούντμπερι ΜακΦάρλαν, Σεθ ΜακΦάρλαν, 賽斯·麥克法蘭, ست مک‌فارلن, سث مک‌فارلن
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 9: 5 acting, 3 directing, 1 producing
- **Frequently works with:** [Alec Sulkin](https://film.one/person/alec-sulkin.md), [Wellesley Wild](https://film.one/person/wellesley-wild.md), [Aaron Lee](https://film.one/person/aaron-lee.md), [Amanda Seyfried](https://film.one/person/amanda-seyfried.md), [Bob Bowen](https://film.one/person/bob-bowen-1967383.md), [Brad Walsh](https://film.one/person/brad-walsh.md), [David Zuckerman](https://film.one/person/david-zuckerman.md), [Giovanni Ribisi](https://film.one/person/giovanni-ribisi.md)
- **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 5 Emmys (5 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 66, as actor, over 5 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 63 (1), 2000s 80 (2), 2010s 55 (5), 2020s 77 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 63 to 63 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 5, Animation 2, Drama 2, Family 2, Action 1, Crime 1
- **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $715m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seth_MacFarlane, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188492, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532235/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/52139

## Coming up

- *Ted: The Animated Series*, as Ted (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/ted-the-animated-series.md)

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*The Naked Gun*](https://film.one/film/the-naked-gun.md) (77)
- **Netflix:** [*Sing*](https://film.one/film/sing.md) (70)
- **Disney+:** [*Family Guy*](https://film.one/tv/family-guy.md) (63)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Seth MacFarlane

> Seth MacFarlane's defining habit is the cutaway: the joke that interrupts a scene instead of finishing it. It made *Family Guy* funny and has kept it from being more, and on the cinema screen it has served him less well with every film.

Stewie Griffin is one year old and speaks like a clipped English gentleman of about 1955, and the voice is Seth MacFarlane's. So is the wheezing bray of his father, the dry baritone of the dog and the leer of the neighbour. He can do four voices in one scene and make each a person. Then there is the cutaway. *Family Guy* starts a story, gets bored, cuts to something that happened to Peter once, or never, and cuts back. It has done this since 31 January 1999, and everything else he has made answers for the habit.

He came out of Hanna-Barbera, drawing on *Johnny Bravo* and *Dexter's Laboratory*, and Fox gave him *Family Guy* at 25. It was cancelled after three seasons and brought back in 2005 because the DVDs sold. *American Dad* arrived the same year, *The Cleveland Show* in 2009, and by about 2011 he had stepped back from the weekly writing to try films: *Ted* (2012), *A Million Ways to Die in the West* (2014), *Ted 2* (2015). Since 2017 he has written, directed and starred in *The Orville*, a live-action space series.

The films are where the habit shows. *Ted* has a premise you could put on a beer mat and about seventy good minutes, and the best are throwaways: a run of guesses at a woman's name that gets worse with every attempt. We laughed, and then felt slightly ashamed of ourselves, which is the effect MacFarlane wants and gets. But Jeff Freeman cuts to flashbacks and fantasy inserts the way the cartoons do, and on a cinema screen the cutting looks nervous. Michael Barrett lights every room the same. It does not look like a film because its maker was still making television.

*A Million Ways to Die in the West* is worse. MacFarlane plays Albert himself, a modern whiner in a Western whose complaints arrive expecting us to agree with them. Writing again with Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild, he returns to flatulence jokes until we were bored, and Charlize Theron's ease only shows the strain in his. For hire he is no better. His Max Chilblain in *Logan Lucky* (2017), a British energy-drink millionaire with an accent from nowhere, belongs to a broader film, and Steven Soderbergh's gets worse every time he appears. He is funnier when we cannot see him.

Which is why the Brian and Stewie episodes matter. When *Family Guy* gives them an episode to themselves the cutaways thin out, a story turns up and the ending is earned rather than reached. They prove MacFarlane and his writers can hold a scene for longer than a minute. We have not reviewed *The Orville*, but a space opera played straight is a man testing how long he can stay in a room before cutting away. Most weeks on *Family Guy*, he chooses not to find out.

## Biography

Seth MacFarlane is an American actor, animator, writer, producer and director. Born on 26 October 1973 in Kent, Connecticut, he graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a degree in animation.

He created the animated series *Family Guy* (1999–), voicing characters including Peter Griffin, and has provided voices in films such as *Ted* (2012) and *Ted 2* (2015). As an actor he appeared as Max Chilblain in *Logan Lucky* (2017) and voiced Johann Krauss in *Hellboy II: The Golden Army* (2008). He produced *The Naked Gun* (2025).

MacFarlane has also directed *A Million Ways to Die in the West* (2014) and co-created series including *American Dad!* (2005–).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, en.m.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (9)

### Performed in (5) — the average rests on these

- *Logan Lucky* (2017), Fi1m 76, as Max Chilblain — [page](https://film.one/film/logan-lucky.md)
- *Sing* (2016), Fi1m 70, as Mike (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/sing.md)
- *Movie 43* (2013), Fi1m 24, as Seth MacFarlane (segment “The Pitch”) — [page](https://film.one/film/movie-43.md)
- *Phineas and Ferb* (2007), Fi1m 80, as Jeff McGarland (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/phineas-and-ferb.md)
- *Gilmore Girls* (2000), Fi1m 81, as Zach — [page](https://film.one/tv/gilmore-girls.md)

### Directed (3)

- *A Million Ways to Die in the West* (2014), Fi1m 40, as Albert — [page](https://film.one/film/a-million-ways-to-die-in-the-west.md)
- *Ted* (2012), Fi1m 64, as Ted (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/ted.md)
- *Family Guy* (1999), Fi1m 63, as Peter Griffin / Brian Griffin / Stewie Griffin / Glenn Quagmire (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/family-guy.md)

### Produced (1)

- *The Naked Gun* (2025), Fi1m 77, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-naked-gun.md)

## Complete filmography (76)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The X Protocol* (2026), series, Animation
- *Carl Sagan: We Are Made of Star Stuff* (2026), Producer
- *The 'Burbs* (2026), series, Executive Producer
- *The Naked Gun* (2025), Producer — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/the-naked-gun.md)
- *May the 12th Be with You* (2024), as Stewie Griffin (voice)
- *Good Times* (2024), series, Executive Producer
- *ted* (2024), series, as Ted (voice), Bill Clinton (uncredited) · Executive Producer, Main Title Theme Composer, Writer, Director, Songs, Creator
- *Goodbye Channel 99* (2023), as The Family Guy
- *The End Is Nye* (2022), series, Executive Producer, Creator
- *Stoner Cats* (2021), as Reginald, Dave
- *Books of Blood* (2020), Executive Producer
- *The Loudest Voice* (2019), series, as Brian Lewis
- *The Orville* (2017), series, as Capt. Ed Mercer · Director, Writer, Executive Producer, Creator
- *Logan Lucky* (2017), as Max Chilblain — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/logan-lucky.md)
- *Sing* (2016), as Mike (voice) — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/sing.md)
- *Bordertown* (2016), series, Executive Producer
- *This Changes Everything* (2015), Executive Producer
- *Blunt Talk* (2015), series, Executive Producer
- *Ted 2* (2015), as Ted (voice) · Director, Producer, Writer, Characters
- *Robot Chicken: Christmas Specials* (2014), as Various (voice) (archive sound)
- *Delirium* (2014), series, as Peter Griffin / Brian Griffin / Quagmire (archive footage)
- *A Million Ways to Die in the West* (2014), as Albert · Director, Producer, Writer — Fi1m 40, [page](https://film.one/film/a-million-ways-to-die-in-the-west.md)
- *Cosmos* (2014), series, as Giordano Bruno (voice), (voice), President Harry S. Truman (voice), Sherwood Rowland (voice) · Executive Producer
- *Movie 43* (2013), as Seth MacFarlane (segment “The Pitch”) — Fi1m 24, [page](https://film.one/film/movie-43.md)
- *Ted* (2012), as Ted (voice) · Screenplay, Director, Story, Producer, Lyricist — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/ted.md)
- *Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III* (2010), as Emperor Palpatine (voice)
- *Family Guy Presents: It's a Trap!* (2010), as 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) · Executive Producer, Creator, Writer
- *The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!* (2010), as I.S.R.A.E.L. (aka Intelligent Smart Robotic Animated Eraser Lady) (voice)
- *Tooth Fairy* (2010), as Ziggy
- *Family Guy Presents: Something, Something, Something, Dark Side* (2009), as Peter Griffin as Han Solo / Brian Griffin as Chewbacca / Stewie Griffin as Darth Vader / Glenn Quagmire as C-3PO / Dr. Elmer Hartman as General Rieekan / Carter Pewterschmidt as Emperor Palpatine / Aaron Sorkin / Cookie Monster / Man / George Takei / Dagobah Man / Commander #2 / Driver / Ringo Starr
- *Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show* (2009), Writer
- *The Cleveland Show* (2009), series, as Tim the Bear (voice) · Executive Producer, Writer, Creator
- *FlashForward* (2009), series, as FBI Agent, Agent Jake Curdy
- *Family Guy Presents: Stewie Kills Lois and Lois Kills Stewie* (2009), as Peter Griffin / Stewie Griffin / Stan Smith (voice) · Executive Producer
- *Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder* (2009), as Mars Vegas Singer (singing voice)
- *Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II* (2008), as Emperor Palpatine / Dr. Ball / Figrin D'an (voice)
- *Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy* (2008), series, as Various Characters (voice) · Writer, Creator
- *Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy* (2008), as Various Characters (voice) · Director, Story, Teleplay, Character Designer, Executive Producer, Producer
- *Hellboy II: The Golden Army* (2008), as Johann Krauss (voice)
- *Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest* (2007), as 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) · Executive Producer, Character Designer, Creator, Writer
- *Phineas and Ferb* (2007), series, as Jeff McGarland (voice) — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/phineas-and-ferb.md)
- *Robot Chicken: Star Wars* (2007), as Emperor Palpatine (voice)
- *The Winner* (2007), series, Producer
- *Life Is Short* (2006), as Dr. Ned
- *Yin Yang Yo!* (2006), series, as The Manotaur (voice)
- *Bones* (2005), series, as Stewie Griffin (voice) — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/tv/bones.md)
- *The War at Home* (2005), series, as Hillary's Date
- *Too Late with Adam Carolla* (2005), series, Actor
- *Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story* (2005), as Stewie Griffin / Various Characters (voice) · Creator, Executive Producer
- *American Dad: The New CIA* (2005), as Stan Smith / Roger (voice) · Director, Creator, Writer, Executive Producer
- *Robot Chicken* (2005), series, as Santa Claus (voice), Seth MacFarlane / Mark L. Walberg / Trojan Man (voice), Emperor Palpatine (voice), Lion-O / Dan / Narrator (voice), Jerry Poppendaddi / Ratchet (voice), Billy Ray Cyrus / Santa Claus / Evil Scientist (voice)
- *American Dad!* (2005), series, as Stan Smith / Roger (voice) · Writer, Executive Producer, Creator
- *Complete Savages* (2004), series, Actor
- *The Pitts* (2003), series, as Radio Announcer (voice), Movie Dad (voice) / Son (voice) · Consulting Producer
- *3-South* (2002), series, Actor
- *A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas* (2001), as Peter Griffin / Brian / Stewie / Quagmire / additional (voice) · Writer
- *Star Trek: Enterprise* (2001), series, as Engineer, Ensign Rivers
- *Aqua Teen Hunger Force* (2000), series, as Wayne "The Brain" McClain (voice)
- *Gilmore Girls* (2000), series, as Zach — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/gilmore-girls.md)
- *Futurama* (1999), series, as Seymour (voice) — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/futurama.md)
- *Family Guy* (1999), series, as Peter Griffin / Brian Griffin / Stewie Griffin / Glenn Quagmire (voice) · Writer, Executive Producer, Director, Creator — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/family-guy.md)
- *Zoomates* (1998), Writer
- *Oh Yeah! Cartoons* (1998), series, Writer, Creator
- *Cow and Chicken* (1997), series, Writer
- *Johnny Bravo* (1997), series, Teleplay, Writer
- *Larry and Steve* (1997), as Larry/Steve/Old Man/Pilot/Ricky/Redneck/Scottsman/Kid in Pound (voice) · Director, Writer
- *Jungle Cubs* (1996), series, Writer
- *Return of the Sun Devil* (1996), as Narrator (voice)
- *MADtv* (1995), series, as Seth MacFarlane / Peter Griffin
- *The Life of Larry* (1995), as Seth MacFarlane / Larry Cummings / Steve / Lois Cummings / Man in Underwear / Captain Kirk / Mr. Spock / Sulu / Ensign Skippee / British Man / Jeremy / Tom Hanks / Alex Trebek / Preacher / God (voice) · Writer, Director, Producer, Editor, Art Direction, Animation, Background Designer, Painter
- *What a Cartoon!* (1995), series, as Larry / Steve (voice) · Director, Writer
- *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as Ben (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *Star Wars Detours*, series, as Emperor Palpatine (voice)
- *Stewie*, series, as Stewie Griffin / Bean (voice) · Executive Producer, Creator
- *Ted: The Animated Series*, series, as Ted (voice) · Executive Producer — coming soon, [page](https://film.one/tv/ted-the-animated-series.md)
- *Construção*, as Peter Griffin

## Gallery

- ![Seth MacFarlane](https://film.one/media/person/8132/gallery-8ece3167e5c3.jpg) Seth MacFarlane — Kevin Paul, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Seth_MacFarlane_-_NBTVF_2026-3.jpg/1280px-Seth_MacFarlane_-_NBTVF_2026-3.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jamie Kennedy & Seth MacFarlane speaking at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used e](https://film.one/media/person/8132/gallery-abbaddc0f2b1.jpg) Jamie Kennedy & Seth MacFarlane speaking at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used e — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Jamie_Kennedy_%26_Seth_MacFarlane_%287607031800%29.jpg/1280px-Jamie_Kennedy_%26_Seth_MacFarlane_%287607031800%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jamie Kennedy & Seth MacFarlane speaking at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used e](https://film.one/media/person/8132/gallery-6adc473addb1.jpg) Jamie Kennedy & Seth MacFarlane speaking at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used e — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Jamie_Kennedy_%26_Seth_MacFarlane_%287607044532%29.jpg/1280px-Jamie_Kennedy_%26_Seth_MacFarlane_%287607044532%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jamie Kennedy & Seth MacFarlane speaking at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used e](https://film.one/media/person/8132/gallery-e63629764aff.jpg) Jamie Kennedy & Seth MacFarlane speaking at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used e — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Jamie_Kennedy_%26_Seth_MacFarlane_%287607045132%29.jpg/1280px-Jamie_Kennedy_%26_Seth_MacFarlane_%287607045132%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Seth MacFarlane](https://film.one/media/person/8132/gallery-d968a619e5bf.jpg) Seth MacFarlane — Image via TMDB
- ![Seth MacFarlane](https://film.one/media/person/8132/gallery-5c4e3064af69.jpg) Seth MacFarlane — Image via TMDB
- ![Mila Kunis & Seth MacFarlane speaking at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used else](https://film.one/media/person/8132/gallery-222e323489f2.jpg) Mila Kunis & Seth MacFarlane speaking at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used else — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Mila_Kunis_%26_Seth_MacFarlane_%287601672558%29.jpg/1280px-Mila_Kunis_%26_Seth_MacFarlane_%287601672558%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Scottish-Americans. Anyone can use these original photos themselves among others and make another collage of Scottish American people themselves or remix as the (2009)](https://film.one/media/person/8132/gallery-8de5d833e379.jpg) Scottish-Americans. Anyone can use these original photos themselves among others and make another collage of Scottish American people themselves or remix as the (2009) — Hispania (compilation), must attribute authors of source images where required, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Scottish-Americans.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 2013: Best Original Song (nominated), for *Everybody Needs a Best Friend*

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 5 won

- 2019: Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (won), for *Family Guy*
- 2017: Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (won), for *Family Guy*
- 2016: Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (won), for *Family Guy*
- 2002: Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics (won), for *Family Guy*
- 2000: Outstanding Voice-Over Performance (won), for *Family Guy*

### Other awards — 1 won

- MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo 2013: MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo (won), for *Ted*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/seth-macfarlane