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.
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Biography from TMDB.
- October 26, 1973 (53)
- Kent, Connecticut, USA
- Actor, producer, writer and director
- 46 on MovieCove · 84 credits in all
What are Seth MacFarlane's films like?
Across their 36 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
A split, not a type: Ironic 11 · Wry 0 · Earnest 10
Light 18 · Serious 2 · Dark 1
Grounded 5 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 5
A split, not a type: Gentle 10 · Charged 8 · Intense 3
Steady 13 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 4
Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 14
Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 14 · Relentless 3
Casual 16 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 18 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 0
Resolved 19 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1
Roles they play
Usually the Trickster: 5 of 18 analyzed roles.
Show the 18 rolesHide the roles
- Tricksteras Peter Griffin in Family Guy (1999)
- Mentoras Brian Griffin in Family Guy (1999)
- Shapeshifteras Stewie Griffin in Family Guy (1999)
- Heroas Stewie Griffin in Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005)
- Shapeshifteras Adult Stewie (Stu) in Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005)
- Allyas Brian Griffin in Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005)
- Heroas Stan Smith in American Dad! (2005)
- Shapeshifteras Roger the Alien in American Dad! (2005)
- Shapeshifteras Emperor Palpatine in Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II (2008)
- Tricksteras Ted in Ted (2012)
- Shapeshifteras Ted in Ted (2012)
- Heroas Albert in A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)
- Tricksteras Ted in Ted 2 (2015)
- Allyas Ted in Ted 2 (2015)
- Shadowas Mike in Sing (2016)
- Heroas Capt. Ed Mercer in The Orville (2017)
- Tricksteras Stewie Griffin in May the 12th Be with You (2024)
- Tricksteras Ted in Ted (2024)
Moods and endings
- Happy14
- Bittersweet12
- Ambiguous4
- Cyclical6
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Seth MacFarlane's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 29 of their 46 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Hulu (10).
- Futurama (1999) · actor
- The Simpsons (1989) · actor
- Gilmore Girls (2000) · actor
- The Orville (2017) · actor, director, writer, producer
- Bones (2005) · actor
- Family Guy (1999) · actor, director, writer, producer
- American Dad! (2005) · actor, writer, producer
- Books of Blood (2020) · producer
- Bordertown (2016) · producer
- The Cleveland Show (2009) · actor, writer, producer
Subscription and free streaming for Seth MacFarlane's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
84 credits, 46 with a MovieCove page; 45 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
The X Protocol(2026)
The 'Burbs(2026)
Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows
The Naked Gun(2025)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
May the 12th Be with You(2024)
Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
Good Times(2024)
Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all shows
Ted(2024)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows
Goodbye Channel 99 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
The End Is Nye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Stoner Cats (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Books of Blood(2020)
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
aTypical Wednesday(2020)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
The Loudest Voice(2019)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
The Orville(2017)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
Logan Lucky(2017)
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
Sing(2016)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Bordertown(2016)
Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows
This Changes Everything (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
Blunt Talk(2015)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows
Ted 2(2015)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Robot Chicken: Christmas Specials (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)
Delirium (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Cosmos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)
The Robot Chicken Born Again Virgin Christmas Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)
Movie 43(2013)
Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
Ted(2012)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Family Guy Presents: It's a Trap! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
Tooth Fairy(2010)
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
Family Guy Presents: Something, Something, Something, Dark Side (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Dear Consumer (Robot Chicken's Full-Assed Christmas Special) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
The Cleveland Show(2009)
Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all shows
Flashforward(2009)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows
Family Guy Presents: Stewie Kills Lois and Lois Kills Stewie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
Robot Chicken's Half-Assed Christmas Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Phineas and Ferb(2007)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
Robot Chicken: Star Wars(2007)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
The Winner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Talkshow with Spike Feresten (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Life Is Short (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Yin Yang Yo!(2006)
Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows
Robot Chicken's Christmas Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Bones(2005)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
The War at Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Too Late with Adam Carolla (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
American Dad: The New CIA (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Robot Chicken(2005)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows
American Dad!(2005)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
Complete Savages (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
The Pitts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
3-South (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Star Trek: Enterprise(2001)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows
Aqua Teen Hunger Force(2000)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows
Gilmore Girls(2000)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows
Futurama(1999)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
Family Guy(1999)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
Zoomates (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
Oh Yeah! Cartoons(1998)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows
Cow and Chicken (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Johnny Bravo(1997)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows
Larry and Steve (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Jungle Cubs(1996)
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all showsReturn of the Sun Devil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Mad TV(1995)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows
The Life of Larry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
What a Cartoon! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
The Simpsons(1989)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all showsConstrução (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Star Wars Detours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Stewie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Ted: The Animated Series (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 82 titles, 77 of them dated from 1989 to 2026; peak year 2009.
Biggest box office
Sing (2016)
Highest rated
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II (2008)
Most popular right now
Family Guy (1999)
Film career
Peak 2009 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 8 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.
- 1999Screen debut· Family Guy
- 1999Primetime Emmy win· Family Guy
- 2001First film· A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas
- 2001First top-billed film· A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas
- 2005Primetime Emmy nomination· American Dad!
- 2009Primetime Emmy nomination· The Cleveland Show
Show 2 more milestonesShow fewer
- 2012Oscar nomination· Ted
- 2014Career best· A Million Ways to Die in the West
Billing
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.
Awards
5 Primetime Emmys and 2 other major awards from 34 major nominations, 2000–2021.
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
- Primetime Emmy, nominated ×2 · Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
+2 other major bodies · 1 win and 1 nomination
- Writers Guild Award, won
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
+1 other major body · 1 win
- Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series
- Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Special Class Programs
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Voice-Over Performance
Show 9 earlier yearsShow fewer
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Animated Program
+1 other major body · 2 nominations
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Animated Program
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
- BAFTA Award, nominated · Best International
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour)
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Voice-Over Performance
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or More)
- BAFTA Award, nominated · Best International
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour)
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Comedy Album
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour)
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Music and Lyrics
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Voice-Over Performance
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less)
Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.
How do Seth MacFarlane's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 58th percentile, the median of the 19 of 20 with a score; across their 20 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 65th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up20
- 50th to 74th11
- 25th to 49th3
- Below 25th10
Shape of the crowd
19 of their 45 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved9
- Divisive1
- Cult Classic2
- Crowd Pleaser19
- Broadly Agreed1
- Mixed13
Reviewers score the acting 64/100 in their films, across 17 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 39. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Seth MacFarlane's work okay for kids?
Across up to 19 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity and alcohol & drugs run heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Seth MacFarlane work with?
People who share at least 2 of Seth MacFarlane's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Seth Green shares the most, 7.
Directors
- Seth GreenShared titles: aTypical Wednesday (2020), Robot Chicken: Star Wars III (2010), Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II (2008), Robot Chicken: Star Wars (2007), Robot Chicken (2005), Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005), Family Guy (1999)See all 7 shared titles with Seth Green
- Pete MichelsShared titles: Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show (2009), Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005)See all 2 shared titles with Pete Michels
Writers
- Alec SulkinShared titles: Ted 2 (2015), A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014), Ted (2012), Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show (2009), Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005), Family Guy (1999)See all 6 shared titles with Alec Sulkin
- Wellesley WildShared titles: Ted 2 (2015), A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014), Ted (2012), Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show (2009), Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005)See all 5 shared titles with Wellesley Wild
- Breckin MeyerShared titles: Robot Chicken: Star Wars III (2010), Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II (2008), Robot Chicken: Star Wars (2007), Robot Chicken (2005)See all 4 shared titles with Breckin Meyer
- Matthew SenreichShared titles: Robot Chicken: Star Wars III (2010), Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II (2008), Robot Chicken: Star Wars (2007), Robot Chicken (2005)See all 4 shared titles with Matthew Senreich
Actors
- Patrick WarburtonShared titles: Ted 2 (2015), Ted (2012), Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show (2009), Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005), Family Guy (1999)See all 5 shared titles with Patrick Warburton
- Mike HenryShared titles: Robot Chicken: Star Wars III (2010), Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show (2009), The Cleveland Show (2009), Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005), Family Guy (1999)See all 5 shared titles with Mike Henry
- Mila KunisShared titles: Ted (2012), Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show (2009), Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005), Family Guy (1999)See all 4 shared titles with Mila Kunis
- Abraham BenrubiShared titles: Robot Chicken: Star Wars III (2010), Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II (2008), Robot Chicken: Star Wars (2007), Robot Chicken (2005)See all 4 shared titles with Abraham Benrubi
Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Jeff FreemanShared titles: Ted 2 (2015), A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014), Ted (2012)See all 3 shared titles with Jeff Freeman
- Michael BarrettShared titles: Ted 2 (2015), A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014), Ted (2012)See all 3 shared titles with Michael Barrett
- Joel McNeelyShared titles: The Naked Gun (2025), A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)See all 2 shared titles with Joel McNeely
- Walter MurphyShared titles: Ted 2 (2015), Ted (2012)See all 2 shared titles with Walter Murphy
Producers
- Erica HugginsShared titles: Carl Sagan: We Are Made of Star Stuff (2026), The 'Burbs (2026), The Naked Gun (2025), Good Times (2024), Books of Blood (2020)See all 5 shared titles with Erica Huggins
- Jason ClarkShared titles: Books of Blood (2020), Ted 2 (2015), A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014), Ted (2012)See all 4 shared titles with Jason Clark
- Joseph MicucciShared titles: Books of Blood (2020), Ted 2 (2015), A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)See all 3 shared titles with Joseph Micucci
- Scott StuberShared titles: Ted 2 (2015), A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014), Ted (2012)See all 3 shared titles with Scott Stuber
