Seth macfarlane biography and net worth 2014
Seth MacFarlane
American actor, animator, filmmaker, and balladeer (born 1973)
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane (; inherited October 26, 1973) is an Denizen actor, animator, writer, producer, director, comic, and singer. He is best humble as the creator and star slow the television series Family Guy (since 1999) and The Orville (2017–2022), direct co-creator of the television series American Dad! (since 2005) and The City Show (2009–2013). He also co-wrote, co-produced, directed, and starred in the motion pictures Ted (2012) and its sequel Ted 2 (2015), and A Million Conduct to Die in the West (2014).
MacFarlane is a graduate of rendering Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he studied animation.[1] He was recruited to Hollywood as an vitaliser and writer for Hanna-Barbera's television set attendants Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken very last Dexter's Laboratory; during this time, proceed created the animated short Larry & Steve—a loose precursor of Family Guy—for What a Cartoon!. In 2008, noteworthy created the online series Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy. MacFarlane has also made guest appearances as highrise actor on live action shows as well as Gilmore Girls, Star Trek: Enterprise, The War at Home, and FlashForward. MacFarlane has won several awards for enthrone work on Family Guy, including cardinal Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2009, grace won the Webby Award for Skin & Video Person of the Class.
MacFarlane has performed as a chorus-boy at the Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Passage, and the Royal Albert Hall. Noteworthy has released eight studio albums, enhance the vein of Frank Sinatra, respect influences from jazz orchestrations, and Screenland musicals beginning with Music Is Facilitate Than Words in 2011. MacFarlane has received five Grammy Award nominations hold his work.[2] He has frequently collaborated with artists such as Sara Bareilles, Norah Jones, and Elizabeth Gillies fabrication his albums.[3] He hosted the Lxxxii Academy Awards in 2013 and was nominated for Best Original Song progress to "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" put on the back burner Ted.[4]
MacFarlane was executive producer of say publicly Neil deGrasse Tyson-hosted Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, an update of the Eighties Cosmos series hosted by Carl Sagan.[5] He received a star on probity Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2019 and was inducted into the Request Hall of Fame in 2020.
Early life and education
MacFarlane was born fairy story raised in Kent, Connecticut.[1] His parents, Ronald Milton MacFarlane (b. 1946) abide Ann Perry (née Sager; 1947–2010), were born in Newburyport, Massachusetts.[6] His subordinate sister Rachael is also a demand for payment actress. His maternal grandfather, Arthur Sager, competed in the 1928 Summer Athletics in track and field. MacFarlane's parents met in 1970 when they fleeting and worked in Boston, and united later that year.[6] They moved get stuck Kent in 1972, where Ann began working in the admissions office repute South Kent School. She later artificial in the college guidance and gate offices at the Kent School, top-notch selective college preparatory school, where Ronald was a teacher.[6][7]
As a child, MacFarlane developed an interest in illustration, ride at the age of two of course began drawing cartoon characters such sort Fred Flintstone and Woody Woodpecker.[8] From end to end of age five, he knew he required to pursue a career in spiritedness, and began by creating flip books after his parents found a softcover on the subject for him.[9] Quaternity years later, at nine, he began publishing a weekly comic strip, Walter Crouton, for The Kent Good Time Dispatch, the local newspaper; it pressurize somebody into him five dollars per week.[10][11] MacFarlane said in an October 2011 conversation that as a child he was always "weirdly fascinated by the Ritual ceremony". He created a strip involve a character kneeling at the church taking Communion and asking "Can Uproarious have fries with that?" The note printed it and he got finish "angry letter" from the local priest; it led to "sort of elegant little mini-controversy" in the town.[12] MacFarlane received his high school diploma snare 1991 from the Kent School.[6][7] Longstanding there, he continued experimenting with liveliness, and his parents gave him proposal 8 mm camera.[13]
After graduating from buoy up school, MacFarlane attended the Rhode Oasis School of Design (RISD), where purify majored in animation. As a adherent, he intended to work for Filmmaker, but changed his mind after beholding The Simpsons.[14] During his time equal height RISD, he performed stand-up comedy.[15] Forbidden also starred in many student big screen, meeting future Family Guy cast colleague Mike Henry, whose brother Patrick was MacFarlane's classmate.[16] In his senior harvest, he made his thesis film, The Life of Larry, which became leadership inspiration for Family Guy.[10] A prof submitted his film to the vitality studio Hanna-Barbera, where he was after hired.[17] He graduated in 1995 get a message to a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.[10]
Career
Television career
Hanna-Barbera years
MacFarlane was recruited during leadership senior film festival by development assignment Ellen Cockrill and President Fred Seibert.[18] He went to work at Hanna-Barbera (then Hanna-Barbera Cartoons) based on interpretation writing content of The Life hill Larry, rather than on his depiction abilities. He was one of one a few people hired by primacy company solely based on writing talent.[1] He worked as an animator champion writer for Cartoon Network's Cartoon Cartoons series.[1] He created a sequel stop The Life of Larry entitled Larry & Steve, featuring a middle-aged natural feeling named Larry and an intellectual give chase to, Steve. The short was broadcast on account of one of Cartoon Network's World Opening Toons. He described the atmosphere livid Hanna-Barbera as resembling an "old-fashioned Flavor structure, where you move from amity show to another or you bound from a writing job on put the finishing touches to show to a storyboard job interchange another". MacFarlane worked on three press series during his tenure at greatness studio: Dexter's Laboratory, Cow and Chicken, and Johnny Bravo.[19][20] Working as both a writer and storyboard artist, MacFarlane spent the most time on Johnny Bravo. He found it easier adjoin develop his own style at Johnny Bravo through the show's process wages scriptwriting, which Dexter's Laboratory and Cow and Chicken did not use.[1] Whereas a part of the Johnny Bravo crew, he met actors and voiceover artists such as Adam West skull Jack Sheldon of Schoolhouse Rock! praise. These meetings later became significant kind the production and success of queen Family Guy series.
He also outspoken freelance work for Walt Disney Congregate Animation, writing for Jungle Cubs, professor for Nelvana, where he wrote Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Through stern observation of writing elements such primate story progression, character stakes and plan points, MacFarlane found the work muster Disney was, from a writing perspective, very valuable in preparation for wreath career (particularly on Ace Ventura).[1] Purify also created and wrote a tiny titled Zoomates for Frederator Studios' Oh Yeah! Cartoons on Nickelodeon.[21] Executives take care the Fox Broadcasting Company saw both Larry shorts and negotiations soon began for a prime-time animated series.[22]
Family Guy
Main article: Family Guy
Although MacFarlane enjoyed necessary at Hanna-Barbera, he felt his make happen calling was for prime-time animation, which would allow a much edgier look of humor.[1] He first pitched Family Guy to Fox during his draw at Hanna-Barbera. A development executive present-day, who was trying to get take back into prime-time business, introduced MacFarlane pass away Leslie Kolins and Mike Darnell, heads of the alternative comedy department gain Fox. After the success of King of the Hill in 1997, MacFarlane called Kolins once more to cover up about a possible second pitch support the series. Fox offered the rural writer a strange deal: They gave him a budget of $50,000 (equivalent to $95,000 in 2023) to produce topping pilot that could lead to trig series (most episodes of animated prime-time productions cost at least $1 million).[1][23] Recalling the experience in an interrogate with The New York Times, MacFarlane said: "I spent about six months with no sleep and no step, just drawing like crazy in adhesive kitchen and doing this pilot."[24]
After sextuplet months, MacFarlane returned to Fox convene a "very, very simply, crudely gay film—with just enough to get picture tone of the show across" allocate present to the executives, who cherished the pilot and immediately ordered primacy series.[1] In July 1998, they proclaimed the purchase of Family Guy annoyed a January 1999 debut.[25]Family Guy was originally intended to be a pile of shorts on MADtv, much etch the same way The Simpsons confidential begun on The Tracey Ullman Show a decade earlier. Negotiations for decency show's MADtv connection fell through originally on as a result of capital concerns.[1] At age 24, MacFarlane was television's youngest executive producer.[8]
Family Guy eminent aired January 31, 1999.[26] MacFarlane's research paper in animating Family Guy was faked by Jackie Gleason and Hanna-Barbera at an advantage with examples from The Simpsons impressive All in the Family.[27] In adding to writing three episodes, "Death Has a Shadow", "Family Guy Viewer Send 1", and "North by North Quahog", MacFarlane voices Family Guy's main workman characters of Peter Griffin, Stewie Griffon, Brian Griffin, and Glenn Quagmire, variety well as Tom Tucker, his lady Jake Tucker, and other characters. Bolstered by high DVD sales and select loyalty, Family Guy developed into pure $1-billion franchise.[23] On May 4, 2008, after approximately 2+1⁄2 years of storekeeper business, MacFarlane reached a $100-million agreement staunch Fox to keep Family Guy extract American Dad! until 2012. It troublefree him the world's highest paid newswomen writer.[28]
MacFarlane's success with Family Guy unlock doors to other ventures relating be proof against the show. On April 26, 2005, he and composer Walter Murphy coined Family Guy: Live in Vegas. Leadership soundtrack features a Broadway show gamble theme, and MacFarlane voiced Stewie rank the track "Stewie's Sexy Party".[29] Ingenious fan of Broadway musicals,[22] MacFarlane comments on using musicals as a building block of Family Guy:
I love high-mindedness lush orchestration and old-fashioned melody terms ... it just gets you hysterical, that kind of music", he thought. "It's very optimistic. And it's facetiousness. The one thing that's missing engage in me from popular music today psychoanalysis fun. Guys like [Bing] Crosby, consume [Frank] Sinatra, or Dean Martin, solution Mel Tormé [...] these are guys who sounded like they were getting a great time.[30]
A Family Guy gramophone record game was released in 2006.[31] Bend in half years later, in August 2007, MacFarlane closed a digital content production assembly with AdSense.[32] He takes cast workers on the road to voice symbols in front of live audiences. Family Guy Live provides fans with blue blood the gentry opportunity to hear future scripts. Worry mid-2007, Chicago fans had the situation absent-minded to hear the then upcoming sixth-season premiere "Blue Harvest". Shows have unnatural in Montreal, New York City, City, and Los Angeles.[33]
On July 22, 2007, in an interview with The Spirit Reporter, MacFarlane announced that he health start work on a feature release, although "nothing's official".[34] In September 2007, Ricky Blitt gave TV.com an discussion confirming that he had already begun working on the script.[35] Then send back TV Week on July 18, 2008, MacFarlane confirmed plans to produce splendid theatrically released Family Guy feature album sometime "within the next year".[36] Sharptasting came up with an idea bolster the story, "something that you could not do on the show, which [to him] is the only spat to do a movie". He closest went on to say he imagines the film to be "an old-style musical with dialogue" similar to The Sound of Music, saying that take action would "really be trying to capture on tape, musically, that feel".[37] On October 13, 2011, MacFarlane confirmed that a layout for a Family Guy film abstruse been made, and that he would write it with series co-producer Strict Blitt.[38] On November 30, 2012, be active confirmed plans for the project.[39] Prestige project was put on hold ultimately MacFarlane worked on Ted 2.[40] Make a way into 2018, Fox announced that a live-action/animated film based on the series in your right mind in development.[41][42] MacFarlane stepped away distance from the series in 2011 to business on Ted and other projects, be first has only been associated with loftiness show as a voice actor in that then.[43]
Despite its popularity, Family Guy has often been criticized.[44] The Parents Gentlemen of the press Council has been a frequent arbiter. It organized a letter-writing campaign nod to remove it from Fox's lineup,[45] leading filed complaints with the Federal Bailiwick Commission alleging that some of disloyalty episodes contained indecent content.[46] MacFarlane has responded to the PTC's criticism preschooler saying, among other things: "That's all but getting hate mail from Hitler. They're literally terrible human beings."[47]
Family Guy has been cancelled twice, although strong enthusiast support and DVD sales have caused Fox to reconsider.[48] MacFarlane mentioned howsoever these cancellations affected the lineup be the owner of writers: "One of the positive aspects of Family Guy constantly being pulled off [the air] is that amazement were always having to re baton writers."[30]
During its sixth season, episodes chief Family Guy and American Dad! were delayed from regular broadcast due garland the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of U.s. strike. MacFarlane participated in the pulsate to support the writers, and In hell aired three Family Guy episodes impecunious his permission. The strike ended annexation February 12, 2008,[49] and the keep in shape resumed airing regularly, beginning with "Back to the Woods".[citation needed]
American Dad!
Main article: American Dad!
MacFarlane has a second long-running, successful adultanimated series in American Dad! which has been in production because early 2005. To date, it testing his only animated series that has never been cancelled, though it sincere undergo a network relocation from Hell-cat to TBS on October 20, 2014, following its 11th season. TBS declared on July 16, 2013, that they had picked up the series endorse a 15-episode 12th season. The willful of the network relocation was from the beginning to make room for new comedies on FOX, such as Mulaney humbling another animated series from Seth MacFarlane called Bordertown on Fox's now-defunct "Animation Domination" programming block.
While MacFarlane does extensive voice acting work for American Dad!, he has left much dominate its creative direction up to Flatties b lowlands Weitzman and Mike Barker, feeling house helps give the series its give off light voice and identity.[50] It was proclaimed on November 4, 2013, that Doggie would depart American Dad! after 10 seasons as producer/co-showrunner.[51][52]
American Dad! was labour shown after Super Bowl XXXIX, debuting with the episode "Pilot", which MacFarlane co-wrote. This February 6, 2005, program premiere was somewhat of an anciently sneak preview as the program plainspoken not begin airing regularly until Might 1, 2005.[53][54] Because of atypical corporation of the show's first 7 episodes, American Dad! has a controversial period number discrepancy in which many arrange divided as to how many seasons the program has had. Beyond ingredient between media journalists and fans, thither have been conflicting reports as restriction what season the show is behave even between American Dad! creators queue the show's official website—both from tight original Fox website and now escaping TBS website.[55][56] At San Diego Comic-Con in 2013, Barker hinted that implicate American Dad! movie—centering on the Roger character and set from his origin planet—is in the works and fragmentary written. However, at San Diego Comic-Con in 2022, Weitzman revealed plans request the film were scrapped.[57]
MacFarlane has declared the initial seasons of American Dad! as being similar to All block the Family, likening title characterStan Smith's originally bigoted persona to Archie Bunker.[30] MacFarlane has also stated that wreath inspiration to create American Dad! calculable from his and Weitzman's exasperation communicate George W. Bush's policies as past United States President.[58] After the perfectly couple of seasons however, the furniture discontinued using these elements of state satire[59] and began to serve execute by hanging its own brand of entertainment sit humor.[50] MacFarlane was described as taking accedence difficulty understanding the series in treason early going; however, he heavily warmed up to the series after corruption early seasons once he felt high-mindedness show truly came into its publicize. His fellow co-creators have sensed that through MacFarlane's greatly increased attention goslow the series after its early seasons. MacFarlane has also revealed he pump up an American Dad! fan himself. Stylishness has taken note of the beneficial reaction to the "Roger" character tough fans via his Twitter.[56]
The show focuses on the Smith family: Stan Adventurer, the endangering, dog-eat-dog, rash and thoughtless head of the household. He has an exaggeratedly large chin and male manner about him. As the family's breadwinner, he works as a CIA officer and was initially portrayed cattle the series as an old-fashioned orthodox bigot but has since grown confiscate of these traits (the show assay known for its story arc sprinkling and other distinguishing plot techniques); Stan's paradoxically moralistic yet simultaneously inappropriate, untrustworthy wife, Francine; and their two posterity, new-age hippie daughter Hayley and nerdy son Steve. Accompanying the Smith kinsfolk are three additional main characters, several of which belong to non-human species: zany, shocking, blithely cruel and spiteful alien Roger, who's full of disguises/alter egos and has few if batty limits on his behaviors. He was rescued by Stan from Area 51; Klaus, the man-in-a-fish-body pet. Klaus's unpleasant situation came about from the outstanding ability of an East German Olympic skier being shrunk and transplanted into boss fish body; and Jeff Fischer, Hayley's boyfriend turned "whipped" husband, known promulgate his infatuation with Hayley's mom, Francine.[60][61] Together, the Smiths and their four housemates run what is only scornfulness a first glance the typical materialistic American lifestyle, but is anything however.
MacFarlane provides the voices of Stan and Roger, basing Roger's voice intrude on Paul Lynde (who played Uncle President in Bewitched).[8] His sister Rachael MacFarlane provides the voice of Hayley.[62]
The Metropolis Show
Main article: The Cleveland Show
MacFarlane industrial a Family Guy spin-off called The Cleveland Show, which focuses on significance character of Cleveland Brown and fillet family. The idea for the fкte originated from a suggestion by Family Guy writer and voice of President, Mike Henry. Fox ordered 22 episodes and the series first aired insurrection September 27, 2009. The show, which was picked up to air unornamented first season consisting of 22 episodes,[63] was picked up by Fox fancy a second season, consisting of 13 episodes, bringing the total number harmony 35 episodes. The announcement was vigorous on May 3, 2009, before nobleness first season even premiered.[64] Due upon strong ratings, Fox picked up integrity back nine episodes of season 2, making a 22-episode season and delivery the total episode count of nobleness show to 44.[65] The series overstuffed on May 19, 2013, with a-okay total of 4 seasons and 88 episodes. The character of Cleveland extremity his family returned to Family Guy in the episode "He's Bla-ack!".[66]
This decline the only animated series created inured to MacFarlane that does not have him voicing the main character. MacFarlane outspoken, however, play the character Tim depiction Bear until season 3 episode 10. Jess Harnell voiced Tim from ready 3 episode 11 onwards.
Cavalcade illustrate Cartoon Comedy
Main article: Seth MacFarlane's March of Cartoon Comedy
In 2008, MacFarlane unrestricted a series of webisodes known bit Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy with its animated shorts sponsored antisocial Burger King and released weekly.[67]
The Orville
Main article: The Orville
In 2016, MacFarlane began producing the sci-fi comedy-drama series The Orville, in which he also stars as Captain Edward "Ed" Mercer.[68] MacFarlane originally wrote The Orville as span spec script, which was given natty 13-episode order by Fox in Possibly will 2016, making it the first live-action television series created by MacFarlane.[69] Authority series premiered on September 10, 2017.[70] Despite the first season receiving interdict reviews, it was renewed for fine second season.[71] The second season premiered on December 30, 2018, and commonplace better reviews.[72]
The series was renewed unmixed a third season by Fox, in spite of that the series would move over get to Hulu.[73] This season is the show's first on Hulu, after airing close-fitting previous two seasons on Fox, chimpanzee well as the first to first since The Walt Disney Company's Go on foot 2019 acquisition of 20th Century Fox.[74] The season was originally scheduled forth premiere in 2020 but was behind due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[75] Prestige third season titled as The Orville: New Horizons premiered on June 2, 2022.[76] Due to the pandemic, make illegal episode of third season was scrapped, which MacFarlane subsequently turned into a- novel, titled The Orville: Sympathy complete the Devil.[77]
Television producing
MacFarlane was the president producer of a live-action sitcom diva Rob Corddry called The Winner. Depiction plot has a man named Cwm discussing the time he matured crisis 32 and has him pursuing rule only love after she moves corner next door. Glen meets her labour and both become good friends.[78] Decency show ran on Fox for sextet episodes in Spring 2007.[79][80]
In August 2011, Fox ordered a 13-part updated leanto of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. MacFarlane co-produced the series with Ann Druyan and Steven Soter. The new suite is hosted by Neil deGrasse Gladiator and began airing on the aqueduct in March 2014, with repeats announcement on the National Geographic Channel positive the next night.[81] In addition tender serving as one of the entrustment producers, MacFarlane provided voices for script during the animated portions of excellence series. MacFarlane returned to executive build and provide voices to its consequence series, Cosmos: Possible Worlds, which golden in 2020.[82]
In 2013 and 2014, MacFarlane produced one season of a live-action sitcom called Dads.[83] The series, revolves around Eli, played by Seth Grassy, and Warner, played by Giovanni Ribisi, two successful guys in their 30s whose world is turned upside diverge when their dads move in challenge them. MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild executive-produced the series, with Sulkin and Wild writing.[84]
In 2014, MacFarlane mind produced a two-season, 20-episode series baptized Blunt Talk for Starz.[85][86][87] The keep in shape followed an English newscaster who moves to Los Angeles with his strong exciting manservant and the baggage of many failed marriages to host a holier-than-thou talk show.
In 2009, MacFarlane began work on the animated series Bordertown.[88] The series is set in Texas and follows a border patrol proxy and a Mexican immigrant, satirizing America's changing cultural landscape. It ran stand for 13 episodes in the first divided of 2016, on Fox.[89]
Television hosting
MacFarlane has participated in the Comedy Central Roasts. MacFarlane is the only person ploy serve as roastmaster for more mystify one roast. In 2010, he entire this role for the roast produce David Hasselhoff.[90] The following year good taste was roastmaster at the roasts exercise Donald Trump and Charlie Sheen.
On October 1, 2012, it was proclaimed that MacFarlane would host the Lxxxi Academy Awards on February 24, 2013.[91][92][93] He also presented the nominees touch actress Emma Stone, on January 10, 2013. In addition to hosting, MacFarlane was also nominated in the Establishment Award for Best Original Song kind for co-writing the theme song "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" for coronet film Ted with Walter Murphy.[94] Disparaging response to MacFarlane's performance was diverse. Columnist Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly commented "By calling constant attention assess the naughty factor," MacFarlane created "an echo chamber of outrage, working spiffy tidy up little too hard to top man with faux-scandalous gags about race, Jews in Hollywood, and the killing put Abraham Lincoln."[95] Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter praised MacFarlane's performance dictum that he did "impressively better ahead of one would have wagered." He additionally noted that he added "plenty put niceties with a little bit friendly the Ricky Gervais bite-the-hand-that-feeds-you thing come first worked the juxtaposition rather nicely."[96] Yes stirred up controversy in the order of a musical number titled "We Saw Your Boobs".[97]
On October 29, 2014, it was announced that MacFarlane would host the Breakthrough Prize ceremony. Nobleness event was held in Silicon Depression and televised on November 15, 2014, on Discovery Channel and Science, advocate globally on November 22, 2014, hold BBC World News.[98] He returned relax host the following year.[99]
Film career
Ted
Main article: Ted (franchise)
MacFarlane made his directorial live-action film debut with the release brake Ted in 2012. He announced put off he was directing it on contain episode of Conan that aired first acquaintance February 10, 2011. Along with direction the film, he also wrote distinction screenplay, served as producer, and marked as the title character.
Ted tells the story of John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) and his talking teddy tote (MacFarlane) who keeps John and rule girlfriend Lori Collins (Mila Kunis) vary moving on with their lives. Say publicly film received generally favorable reviews propagate both critics and audiences, and was a box office success, opening join the highest weekend gross of integral time for an original R-rated comedy.[100][101] Internationally, the movie is currently high-mindedness highest-grossing original R-rated comedy of accomplished time, beating The Hangover. A payoff, Ted 2, was released on June 26, 2015.[102][103][104]
It was announced in June 2021 that Peacock had given dexterous straight to series order for spruce up prequel series. In addition to helping as executive producer for the array, MacFarlane reprises his role as Do away with. Due to its prequel nature, Wahlberg and Kunis do not reprise their roles.[105]
A Million Ways to Die advocate the West
Main article: A Million Habits to Die in the West
MacFarlane co-wrote and starred in his second integument, A Million Ways to Die display the West. Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild were also co-writers for illustriousness film. The film follows a timid sheep farmer (MacFarlane) who loses orderly gunfight and sees his girlfriend certainty him for another man. When uncluttered mysterious woman rides into town, she helps him find his courage. On the other hand when her outlaw husband arrives hunt revenge, the farmer must put monarch newfound courage to the test.[106][107] Significance film was met with mixed be in opposition to negative reviews from critics.[108]
On January 27, 2014, MacFarlane announced that he wrote a companion novel based on probity film's script, which was released in relation to March 4, 2014.[109][110] An audio-book new circumstance was also made available, narrated strong Jonathan Frakes.[111] MacFarlane wrote the work on weekends during shooting for say publicly film, partially due to boredom.[112]
Music career
Record deal and albums
In 2010, MacFarlane monogrammed a record deal with Universal Commonwealth Records.[113] He released his debut photo album, Music Is Better Than Words, give back 2011. The album is a bulky band/standards album drawing on his breeding in and attraction to "the Gigantic American Songbook and particularly the early- to late-'50s era of orchestration".[114] Greatness album featured duets with Norah Phonetician and Sara Bareilles. It was chosen in the Best Traditional Pop Voiced articulate Album and the Best Engineered Photo album, Non-Classical categories at the 54th Grammy Awards.[115] It received a score loosen 52 out of 100 on Metacritic's compilation of music critic reviews.[116] Spiky 2014, he released his second shop album and first Christmas album Holiday for Swing.[117][118][119][120] It received mostly great reviews.[121][122] In 2015, his third plant album No One Ever Tells You was nominated for a Grammy Accord for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.[123][124] In 2016, he was honored next to Barbara Sinatra at the 28th annually Frank Sinatra Celebrity Invitational.[125]
He released rulership fourth studio album, In Full Swing, in 2017,[126] again featuring songs together by Joel McNeely.[127] Three singles were released from it: "That Face",[128] "Almost Like Being in Love",[129] and "Have You Met Miss Jones?"[130] The wedding album was nominated for two Grammy Laurels for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Baby book and Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals.[131] In 2019, for his fifth flat album Once in a While,[132] MacFarlane worked with composer Andrew Cottee.[133]
In 2020, MacFarlane released his sixth studio book, Great Songs from Stage & Screen,[134] with composer Bruce Broughton, who unquestionable works with on The Orville, reach compose the album.[135] Like his anterior four albums, he recorded a more than half of the songs at Abbey Prevalent Studios. However, much of the albums post-production work was done at population due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[136] Play a part 2022, he released his seventh workroom album, Blue Skies.[137] In November 2023, MacFarlane released a collaborative Christmas soundtrack with Gillies titled We Wish Pointed the Merriest. The lead single neat as a new pin the same name was dropped go through with a fine-tooth comb the day of the announcement.[138]
Collaborations
He was featured on Calabria Foti's 2013 unmarried "Let's Fall in Love".[139] In 2016, he recorded the song "Pure Imagination" as a duet with Barbra Singer for her album Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway.[140] MacFarlane sang numerous county show tunes with Ariana Grande on demolish episode of Carpool Karaoke: The Series in 2017.[141]
During the COVID-19 pandemic control 2020, MacFarlane and Elizabeth Gillies collaborated on a series of songs, shackle in total, on a playlist elite, Songs from Home on Spotify.[142] MacFarlane was featured in Meghan Trainor’s Christmastide album, A Very Trainor Christmas near did a cover of "White Christmas". The single debuted at number 24 on the Adult Contemporary chart emerge b be published dated November 14, 2020, the gear holiday entry for both, and passive later peaked at number 1 listen to the chart.[143][144] In 2023, MacFarlane was co-featured alongside Redman and Statik Selektah on the album track "Self Medication", from Logic's eighth studio album College Park.[145]
Other projects
MacFarlane was executive producer designate a 2020 feature film adapting Statesman Barker’s novel Books of Blood untainted Hulu, directed by Brannon Braga.[146]
In 2020, he signed a $200 million tie with NBCUniversal to develop television projects for both internal and external networks, including the company’s then-developing streaming swagger Peacock.[147][148] Among these projects is The End is Nye, hosted by Value Nye, a six episode series analytical and explaining six apocalyptic scenarios. MacFarlane is executive producer and will bring into being small appearances in each episode. Energetic premiered on the service on Reverenced 25, 2022.[149]
In January 2021, it was announced that MacFarlane had been chartered to develop a reboot of The Naked Gun. After MacFarlane had at one time expressed interest in casting Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr. in 2015, the filmmaker was hired by high-mindedness studio. Neeson revealed that the producer alongside Paramount Pictures had approached him with a pitch to star be of advantage to the movie.[150][151] In June of nobleness same year, Neeson stated that MacFarlane was working on a new drawing of the script, with the accommodation additionally negotiating the filmmaker's potential character as director. He expressed excitement tail the project and the opportunity work explore a more comedic role, obligation he decide to star in decency movie; while stating that development fenderbender the project is ongoing.[152] In Oct 2022, the film was officially greenlit with Neeson in the lead character. The film will be directed fail to notice Akiva Schaffer, Dan Gregor and Doug Mand were hired to write unadulterated new draft of the script, running off a previous draft with contributions pass up Mark Hentemann, Alec Sulkin and MacFarlane himself. MacFarlane and Erica Huggins desire serve as producers.[153]
Guest appearances
MacFarlane has exposed in sitcoms, comedy and news programs, independent films, and other animated shows. In 2002, MacFarlane appeared in description Gilmore Girls episode "Lorelai's Graduation Day".[17] On November 5, 2006, MacFarlane lodger starred on Fox's The War parallel with the ground Home as "Hillary's Date", an unspecified 33-year-old man who secretly dates adolescent Hillary in the episode "I Duck My Hands of You".[154] MacFarlane as well appeared as the engineer Ensign Rivers on Star Trek: Enterprise in say publicly third-season episode "The Forgotten" and position fourth-season episode "Affliction". During 2006, MacFarlane had a role in the incoherent film Life is Short.[155] He has been a frequent guest on greatness radio talkshow Loveline, hosted by Dr. Drew Pinsky.
MacFarlane appeared on goodness November 11, 2006, episode of Fox's comedy show MADtv.[156] MacFarlane has as well appeared on news shows and vent night television shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live![157] and Late Show put up with David Letterman.[158] Three months later fib March 24, 2007, MacFarlane was interviewed on Fox's Talkshow with Spike Feresten,[159] and closed the show by revelation the Frank Sinatra song "You Dream up Me Feel So Young".[160] He besides provided Stewie's voice when he developed as a brain tumor-induced hallucination manage Seeley Booth in an episode eliminate Bones, writing his own dialogue beg for the episode.[161] On May 8, 2009, MacFarlane was a guest on Real Time with Bill Maher.[162]
Other than Family Guy and American Dad!, MacFarlane voices characters in other cartoon shows current films. He voiced Wayne "The Brain" McClain in an episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force.[163] He has besides voiced various characters on Adult Swim's Robot Chicken, including a parody be totally convinced by Lion-O and Emperor Palpatine as convulsion as Peter Griffin in the Spell 1 2 premiere – he even parodied himself in the Season 4 open, in which he renewed the extravaganza simply by mentioning it in ingenious Family Guy-like cutaway after its fabulous cancellation at the end of Seasoned 3. He also played the criminal "The Manotaur" in Bob Boyle's ebullient kids series Yin Yang Yo!.[164] Guarantee addition, MacFarlane voiced Johann Kraus send the 2008 film Hellboy II: Righteousness Golden Army.[165] He also had capital guest appearance in the animated husk Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder where he sings "That Was For that reason (And This is Too)", the orifice theme.[166] He had also starred joke a commercial for Hulu in which he plays an alien presenting Hulu as an "evil plot to disregard the world", progressively as his famed Family Guy and American Dad! notation. He also lent his voice disruption the series finale movie of excellence Comedy Central series, Drawn Together.
MacFarlane played Ziggy in the 2010 hide Tooth Fairy. In August 2010, loosen up appeared as a guest voice-over expansion a sci-fi themed episode of Disney's Phineas and Ferb entitled "Nerds pleasant a Feather".[167] On September 15, 2012, MacFarlane hosted the season premiere fence Saturday Night Live, with musical customer Frank Ocean.[168] The episode was MacFarlane's first appearance on the show. MacFarlane had a cameo in the 2013 film Movie 43.[169] MacFarlane collaborated affair Matt Groening on an episode consume The Simpsons and Futurama.[170][171] In 2016, he had a voice role beget the animated film Sing, as in triumph as serving as a major 1 on the film's soundtrack.[172] In 2017, he appeared in Steven Soderbergh's cabbage comedy Logan Lucky, alongside Channing Biochemist and Adam Driver.[173] In 2019, MacFarlane appeared in the Showtime limited additional room The Loudest Voice.[174]
Artistry
Musical style
MacFarlane has natty baritone voice.[175] He is a instrumentalist and singer who, in his inappropriate years, trained with Lee and Venture Sweetland, the vocal coaches of Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra. In create interview with NPR, he commented other self their training style: "They really pierce you. They teach you the old-style way of singing, back when ready to react had no electronic help ... [They teach you to] show your bolt from the blue. If you look at old closeups of Sinatra while he's singing, there's a lot of very exposed dentition. That was something Lee Sweetland confrontation on day in and day because of, and correctly so, because it rational brightens the whole performance."[176] In 2009, MacFarlane appeared as a vocalist regress the BBC Proms with the Toilet Wilson Orchestra in Prom 22, A Celebration of Classic MGM Film Musicals.[177] In 2010, he reappeared at influence Proms with the John Wilson Stripe in a Christmas concert special. Assimilate 2012, it was announced he would again appear at the Proms put together the John Wilson Orchestra in great concert celebrating Broadway musicals.[178] In 2015, MacFarlane again appeared at The Proms as a vocalist with the Can Wilson Orchestra, this time in a-okay Sinatra program.[179] Regarding his musical waywardness, MacFarlane has said, "I love significant am fascinated by exciting orchestration—what on your toes can do with a band drift size—and I think in many construction it's a lost art."[180] His opus is predominantly vocal jazz, show tunes and swing.[181][182][183][184][185] He also uses harmonious comedy in his shows and movies.[186]
Influences
MacFarlane has said that his comedy influences include Woody Allen, Jackie Gleason, Engagement Brooks, Monty Python, Matt Groening, bear Norman Lear;[187][188][189] while his musical influences include Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Vic Damone, Johnny Mercer, Bing Crosby, Gendarme Darin, Gordon MacRae and the Cad Pack.[190][191]
Activism
Political views
MacFarlane is a supporter forget about the Democratic Party.[47] He has appreciative over $200,000 to various Democratic governmental committees and to the 2008 statesmanlike campaign of then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama.[192] He has stated that he supports the legalization of cannabis.[193]
In 2015, MacFarlane endorsed Bernie Sanders for the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and he foreign Sanders onstage at a Los Angeles rally.[194] After the primaries, he trim Hillary Clinton for president during primacy general election.[195] In 2019, he substantiated Pete Buttigieg in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.[196] After the primaries, good taste endorsed Joe Biden for president by means of the general election.[197] He endorsed Biden again for the 2024 U.S. statesmanlike election.[198] After Biden withdrew his drive, MacFarlane endorsed Kamala Harris.[199]
Gay rights advocacy
MacFarlane is a supporter of gay In 2008, prior to the property of the Obergefell v. Hodges pencil case by the United States Supreme Challenge, MacFarlane called it "infuriating and idiotic" that two gay partners "have take home go through this fucking dog enjoin pony act when they stop utter a hotel and the guy escape the counter says, 'You want hold up room or two?'" He went newness to say: "I'm incredibly passionate rigidity my support for the gay humanity and what they're dealing with classify this current point in time."[200]
In leisure pursuit of "his active, passionate commitment talk humanist values, and his fearless shore up of equal marriage rights and on the subject of social justice issues", MacFarlane was christened the Harvard Humanist of the Gathering in 2011.[201]
Speaking engagements
MacFarlane is a universal speaking guest on college campuses.[202] Formation April 16, 2006, he was offer hospitality to by Stanford University's ASSU Speakers' Company to address an audience of condescending 1,000 at Memorial Auditorium.[203] He was invited by Harvard University's class reveal 2006 to deliver the "class day" address on June 7, 2006. Soil spoke as himself, and also tempt Peter Griffin, Stewie Griffin and Senator Quagmire.[204] He has also spoken weightiness George Washington University,[202]Washington University in Lid. Louis,[19] the University of Texas on tap Austin,[205] the University of Missouri,[206]Bowling Rural State University,[207]Loyola Marymount University,[208] and Founding of California, Los Angeles.[209]
2007–08 Writers Conservatory of America strike
During the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike, MacFarlane for all to see sided with the Writers Guild, beam fully participated in the strike.[210] Endorsed production of Family Guy was motionless for most of December 2007 have a word with various periods afterwards. Fox continued moving picture episodes without MacFarlane's final approval, extra although he refused to work measurement the show during the strike, sovereign contract with Fox required him detect contribute to any episodes it accordingly produced.[211] Rumors of continued production conceited Family Guy prompted the statement running off MacFarlane that ".....it would just snigger a colossal dick move if they did that".[211] During the strike, MacFarlane wrote an inside joke into bully episode of Family Guy about Jon Stewart's choice to return to magnanimity air and undermine the writers nominate The Daily Show, causing Stewart go on a trip respond with an angry phone-call, importunate MacFarlane and arguing his point.[212] Position strike ended on February 12, 2008.[49]
2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike
During the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike highest the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, MacFarlane appreciative $1 million to The Entertainment Human beings Fund to Support Film and Throng Workers During Strikes. The Entertainment General public, formerly The Actors Fund, is in attendance to help provide financial assistance pray industry workers during the SAG-AFTRA stomach WGA strikes.[213]
The Seth MacFarlane Collection imitation the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Archive
In 2012, MacFarlane donated money reach create The Seth MacFarlane Collection weekend away the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Archive at the Library of Copulation. MacFarlane said, "The work of Carl Sagan has been a profound import in my life, and the existence of every individual who recognizes class importance of humanity's ongoing commitment become the exploration of our universe [...] The continuance of our journey external into space should always occupy good part of our collective attention, disregarding of whatever Snooki did last week."[214][215][216] The collection opened on November 12, 2013.[217][218]
Film preservation
On April 20, 2024 MacFarlane partnered with Martin Scorsese to scope Back From the Ink: Restored Vigorous Shorts at the 2024 TCM Prototype Film Festival. MacFarlane and Scorsese funded the restoration, and worked with prestige UCLA Film and Television Archive existing The Film Foundation with Paramount Motion pictures Archives.[219][220]
Personal life
MacFarlane lives in Beverly Hills, California.[221] He is not married indistinct does he have any children.[222][223]
In fastidious 2004 interview, he noted his similarities to Brian Griffin from Family Guy: "I have some Brian type issues from time to time—looking for illustriousness right person—but I date as all the more as the next guy."[224]
MacFarlane gave a speech at his alma dam, the Rhode Island School of Mould, on September 10, 2001;[225] the flash morning he was scheduled to answer to Los Angeles on American Airlines Flight 11, one of the planes hijacked in the September 11 attacks. Due to a hangover after depiction previous night's celebrations and an inaccurate departure time (8:15 a.m. instead of 7:45 a.m.) from his travel agent,[227] he dismounted at Logan International Airport about modulate minutes too late to board honourableness flight, as the gates had archaic closed.[227] Speaking of his experience magnetize missing the fatal trip, MacFarlane said:
The only reason it hasn't really artificial me as it maybe could own acquire is I didn't really know go off at a tangent I was in any danger undetermined after it was over, so Uncontrollable never had that panic moment. Rear 1 the fact, it was sobering, nevertheless people have a lot of chain calls; you're crossing the street prep added to you almost get hit by out car... This one just happened shut be related to something massive. Funny really can't let it affect have visitors because I'm a comedy writer. Beside oneself have to put that in greatness back of my head.[228]
The Family Guy episode "Boy (Dog) Meets Lass (Dog)" references the incident.
On July 16, 2010, MacFarlane's mother, Ann Commodore Sager, died from cancer. Her transience bloodshed was reported by Larry King multiplication his show Larry King Live, who acknowledged a conversation he had engross her during an interview with MacFarlane in May 2010.[6][229]
From 2012 to 2013, MacFarlane was in a relationship arrange a deal the British actress Emilia Clarke.[230][231]
MacFarlane court case a fervent atheist, explaining his sayings, "I do not believe in Demiurge. I'm an atheist. I consider himself a critical thinker, and it fascinates me that in the 21st 100 most people still believe in, despite the fact that George Carlin puts it, 'the unseeable man living in the sky'."[232][233]
Lawsuits
On Oct 3, 2007, Bourne Co. Music Publishers filed a lawsuit accusing Family Guy of infringing its copyright on probity song "When You Wish Upon calligraphic Star", through a parody song gentle "I Need a Jew" appearing display the episode "When You Wish Understand a Weinstein". Bourne Co., which holds the copyright, alleged the parody pairs a "thinly veiled" copy of their music with anti semitic lyrics. Styled in the suit were MacFarlane, Ordinal Century Fox Film Corp., Fox Disclosure Co., Cartoon Network and Walter Murphy; the suit sought to stop magnanimity program's distribution and asked for selfeffacing damages.[234] Bourne argued that "I Demand a Jew" uses the copyrighted concord of "When You Wish Upon spruce up Star" without commenting on that ticket, and that it was therefore very different from a First Amendment-protected parody per nobleness ruling in Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Strain, Inc.[235][236] On March 16, 2009, Combined States District Judge Deborah Batts restricted that Family Guy did not leave on Bourne's copyright when it transformed the song for comical use direction an episode.[237]
In December 2007, Family Guy was again accused of copyright non-compliance when actor Art Metrano filed shipshape and bristol fashion lawsuit regarding a scene in Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story, in which Jesus performs Metrano's signature magic burlesque act, involving absurd faux magical focus on gestures while humming the distinctive appropriate "Fine and Dandy".[238] MacFarlane, 20th Hundred Fox, Steve Callaghan, and Alex Borstein were all named in the suit.[239] In July 2009, a federal resident court judge rejected Fox's motion on hand dismiss, saying that the first one fair use factors involved—"purpose and erect of the use", "nature of leadership infringed work", and "amount and physicalness of the taking"—counted in Metrano's advantage, while the fourth—"economic impact"—had to wait more fact-finding. In denying the discharge, the court held that the quotation in the scene made light signify Jesus and his followers—not Metrano character his act.[240][241][242] The case was inveterate out of court in 2010 crash undisclosed terms.[243]
On July 16, 2014, MacFarlane was served with a lawsuit punishment the production company of a periodical of Internet videos called Charlie interpretation Abusive Teddy Bear claiming that Ted infringes on the copyright of tight videos due to the Ted sustain largely matching the background story, front, voice tone, attitude, and dialogue exhaust the Charlie bear.[244] The suit was dismissed with prejudice on March 23, 2015, after the plaintiffs conceded Full-blown was independently created and withdrew justness suit.[245][246][247]
Awards and nominations
See also: List go awards and nominations received by Man MacFarlane
MacFarlane has been nominated for 24 Primetime Emmy Awards for his profession on Family Guy and has won five times, in 2000, 2002, 2016, 2017 and 2019.[248] He has antiquated nominated for five Grammy Awards convey his work in Family Guy: Be there in Vegas, Music Is Better Escape Words, Family Guy, No One Always Tells You and In Full Swing.