Lacey Chabert is a name synonymous with Hallmark Channel Christmas movies and beloved roles in television and film. However, before she became a festive film fixture and long before her iconic role as Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls, Chabert lent her voice to Meg Griffin in the early days of the animated sitcom Family Guy. For fans who only know Mila Kunis as the voice of Meg, it might come as a surprise that there was another actress who originated the role.
Chabert voiced Meg Griffin throughout the first season of Family Guy in 1999 and in a few episodes of the second season. Before Family Guy, Chabert had already built a solid career as a child actor. Discovered on Star Search at the age of eight, she gained prominence for her role as Claudia Salinger in the 90s drama Party of Five. Her transition to animation with Family Guy marked a different turn in her career, albeit briefly.
So why did Lacey Chabert, the original voice of Meg Griffin, leave the show? According to Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, the departure was due to contractual complications. In a 2003 interview with IGN, MacFarlane explained, “It was just purely a contractual thing. Lacey Chabert, I think there was a mistake in her contract, and I guess she had not intended to be involved for, like, the full run of the show.” He further clarified that there was no animosity involved, stating, “there was no tension or anything. She wanted to go, and she was very cool about it. We obviously don’t want to keep anyone there who doesn’t want to be there.”
Chabert herself corroborated this amicable parting in a 2006 interview with GameSpy. She stated, “I actually left the show of my own accord. And only because I was in school and doing Party of Five at the time.” This suggests that a combination of factors, including contractual details and her existing commitments, contributed to her decision to leave Family Guy. She also expressed positive feelings towards the show and her successor, saying, “But I think the show is hilarious, and don’t have a grudge against her at all. I think she’s a great actress.”
The change in voice actors for Meg Griffin has become a recurring joke within Family Guy itself. In a meta moment featured in one episode, Stewie Griffin travels back in time and encounters Lacey Chabert’s Meg, acknowledging the actress directly by saying, “Oh my god, we’re getting closer to the beginning – you’re Lacey Chabert!”. This self-referential humor highlights the show’s awareness of its own history and the behind-the-scenes changes, including the voice of Meg Griffin. While Lacey Chabert’s tenure as Meg was brief, it marks an interesting chapter in the history of Family Guy, predating the long run of Mila Kunis in the role and becoming a fun piece of trivia for fans of the animated series.
