Seth MacFarlane not only created “Family Guy,” but he also voices several characters on the animated comedy series. Of the show’s central family, the Griffins, MacFarlane provides the voices of dimwit dad Peter, evil genius baby Stewie and talking dog Brian. Beyond the Griffins, MacFarlane also voices supporting characters such as Glenn Quagmire, Carter Pewterschmidt, Seamus, and Dr. Elmer Hartman. With a wealth of “Family Guy” characters under his belt, MacFarlane’s pick for the easiest character to voice might come as a surprise to some fans.
“You know what’s strange? Tom Tucker, the news guy, was always the easiest character of all to do for some reason,” MacFarlane revealed in an interview with IGN. “I guess it was because everything is delivered in that newsy [deadpan tone of] ‘this is all very formal, and everything is 100% under control, and this is what’s going on.'” MacFarlane also said that he based Tom Tucker’s voice on a “cigarette spokesman from the 1940s commercials.”
Tom Tucker frequently appears on “Family Guy” delivering outlandish news reports and bickering with his co-anchor on Quahog 5 News, Diane Simmons.
Seth MacFarlane’s trickiest Family Guy voices
Meanwhile, asked which characters he finds the most challenging, MacFarlane named all three members of the Griffin family he plays – in particular, Stewie and Brian.
The “Family Guy” creator noted that “both Stewie and Peter were high energy characters,” presenting a challenge for him as a voice actor. “Just as far as sheer exhaustion, Stewie was definitely at the top of the list. I was usually red in the face after I got done with Stewie scenes.”
MacFarlane went on to highlight a different challenge he faced in voicing Brian Griffin, particularly when delivering lines that were emotional and not so funny. He explained, “There was no silly voice to hide behind. You know, Brian’s voice is slightly altered, but essentially my own voice.” MacFarlane said that having to deliver straight or emotive dialogue in what was basically his natural speaking voice was one of the most challenging aspects of portraying Brian. As perhaps the closest thing the Griffin family has to a voice of reason, Brian is often left to deliver the most meaningful lines.