If cartoons were ever reserved for children, Seth MacFarlane’s brainchild Family Guy proved that adults can enjoy them, as well. Launched in 1999 and recently approved by Fox for its nineteenth season, the animated series has become one of the longest running shows in the network’s history.
Some fans may think that if a television series can stay on air for decades, the cast members will grow into a sort of family. It is certainly fair to say that the actors who participated in shows like Friends and Modern Family have expressed a sensation of closeness that developed in a relatively shorter ten seasons of filming.
However, since Family Guy is recorded in a sound studio— as opposed to on-set— there may be some viewers are wondering what kinds of relationships have been fostered over the course of the show’s production.
Are the cast members close? Do they spend any time together outside of the studio? What kinds of friendships have been forged— or lost —in the last twenty years?
We have done of bit of digging and compiled some info to give fans an idea of exactly what goes down between the voices behind Family Guy, after the audio is switched off.
In The Beginning
While some television families meet for the first time on set, “the Griffins” are comprised largely by folks who knew each other before anyone could imagine what a hit the show would one day become.
According to an interview published by the official YouTube channel of the Paley Center for Media on March 9, 2010, Alex Borstein and Seth MacFarlane were acquainted well before Family Guy was more than just a bold idea.
Borstein, who voices Lois Griffin, told the audience at the Paley Center that she has known MacFarlane since her time at Mad TV: “I knew Seth, because I was working on Mad TV at the time, when the woman who developed that show was working with Seth to develop Family Guy.”
The actress’s casting and first contact with MacFarlane ended up being largely accidental. According to Borstein, the pair’s mutual contact asked her to, “do this little voice for this little cartoon thing.” The actress accepted without a lot of enthusiasm, saying “okay” with a little eye roll.
While Borstein, in 2010, had been married to the same man since 1999, she wasn’t afraid to create a little bit of confusion in terms of the exact nature of her relationship with MacFarlane. “Before coming out, Seth and I were making love, and he ... prematurely,” she said to a laughing audience. She then followed the declaration with an insistence that the pair had, in fact, slept together: “true story.”
Whether Borstein made a huge confession to the public or was simply trying to make an edgy bit of comedy, it is difficult to say.
A Tale Of Two Seths
Not all of the actors, however, knew each other before casting. Seth Green, the infamous voice of Chris Griffin, did not meet MacFarlane until he was actively pursuing the role. In the Paley Center interview, Green told viewers, “We actually met when I auditioned for Family Guy.”
The pair’s late start to their friendship does not prevent them from having developed a world of respect for each other. Green even used his part of the interview to tell fans exactly how amazingly successful MacFarlane has been in his position as the show’s writer. “I do have an embarrassing fact about him. A lot of you might not know this, but he’s one of the highest paying television writers in history. It must be so embarrassing,” Green said of MacFarlane with an twinge of admiration and laughter in his voice.
Just because the two Seths took a while to get acquainted, it does not mean that the dynamic duo did not soon discover that they have a lot in common. For example, they both enjoy talking about robots.
In a 2012 comedy special featured on Variety, Green opens up about his relationship with MacFarlane. “I’ve known Seth MacFarlane for a really long time, and the thing I like the most about him is that I can say, ‘Leader One and Star Scream,’ and he knows exactly what I’m talking about. He knows that they are two F-16 fighters that turn into robots.”
A Strong Support Network
In the past few years, cast members have diversified their projects and directed their energy to other shows and movies. Nonetheless, the “Griffin” family team continues to promote each other’s projects and goals.
MacFarlane even went as far as to plug Alex Borstein’s comedy show in London on his Instagram page. “Go check out my pal,” MacFarlane urged fans.