Lacey Chabert is widely recognized today as a queen of Hallmark Christmas movies, boasting numerous festive films as both a lead actress and producer. However, before her reign in holiday cinema, and even before her iconic role as Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls, Chabert was known for her early career roles, starting with her discovery at age eight on Star Search in 1991. She gained prominence in the 1990s drama Party of Five. Interestingly, early in her career, Chabert also played a pivotal, though often overlooked, role in animation history: she was the original Meg Family Guy Voice.
In 1999, when Family Guy first premiered, it was Lacey Chabert who brought the character of Meg Griffin to life. She voiced Meg throughout the entire first season and in a portion of the second season. Many fans who came to the show later may not even realize that Meg’s voice was different in the initial episodes. So why the change? According to Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, in a 2003 interview with IGN, Chabert’s departure was simply a matter of contract misunderstandings. 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… 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 confirmed this amicable parting in a 2006 interview with GameSpy, stating, “I actually left the show of my own accord. And only because I was in school and doing Party of Five at the time. But I think the show is hilarious, and don’t have a grudge against her at all. I think she’s a great actress,” referring to her replacement, Mila Kunis, who took over the role and has voiced Meg ever since.
The show itself has even acknowledged this voice transition with a meta-reference. In one clip, Stewie travels back in time and encounters Chabert’s Meg, remarking, “Oh my god, we’re getting closer to the beginning – you’re Lacey Chabert!”. This playful nod highlights the show’s self-awareness and the somewhat trivia-worthy fact that there was indeed a Meg Family Guy voice before Mila Kunis, and that voice belonged to Lacey Chabert. While Kunis has become synonymous with Meg Griffin for most viewers, Chabert’s foundational work in the first seasons remains a notable piece of Family Guy history.
