Seth MacFarlane continues to be one of the most notable names in Hollywood. He’s pushed the social envelope on adult animation with Family Guy, American Dad, and The Cleveland Show for over twenty years. He has even been deemed a pioneer of adult animated comedy’s modern age. His creatively dark humor has sparked numerous shows and movies, making him the second-richest animator in the world after The Simpsons creator Matt Groening.
He’s accomplished all of this, now just heading into his golden years, at the age of 50.
And with all the success he’s had in both television and film, MacFarlane however, hasn’t been as lucky in love. For many Hollywood celebrities (especially ones as wealthy as MacFarlane), maintaining a relationship amidst the hectic lifestyle of an A-lister can be a lot easier said than done. Nevertheless, MacFarlane is never hesitant about dating fellow celebrities. According to Dating Celebs, he has actually been linked to a few recognizable ladies over the years.
Seth McFarlane’s dating history, explained
During his time during the late 1990s as a writer for Fox’s comedy sketch show MAD TV, he started dating comedian and actress Nicole Sullivan, one of the original cast members. The couple would later part ways in 2000.
Six years later, MacFarlane began dating actress Jessica Barth in 2006. They dated briefly and broke up later that year. But they remained such good friends that MacFarlane would eventually cast her to play the hot-headed Tammy Lynn in his first-ever live-action movie, Ted, and its sequel, Ted 2.
After his short relationship with Barth ended, MacFarlane went on to date actress and producer Christa Campbell in 2006. They dated for a year and later broke up in 2007.
Between 2007 and 2008, MacFarlane dated several famous actresses including Kat Foster, Camille Guatay, Amanda Bynes, and The Vampire Diaries actress Eliza Dushku.
He then dated Katie Sah and Kaylee Defer in 2009 before getting into a two-year relationship with reality TV star Trisha Cummings in 2010. This would prove to be the most time he’s spent dating a celebrity since breaking things off with Nicole Sullivan in 2000. MacFarlane soon began dating Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke after he and Cummings ended things.
MacFarlane and Clarke dated for about a year but called it quits sometime in 2013. According to a source at E! News, the couple could not make it work due to their busy schedules and long distance. “It was really a location challenge,” the outlet reported. “She has been in Europe shooting Game of Thrones, and he is based in California, so it was hard to make it work despite the distance. However, they have remained friends.”
For a while after that, MacFarlane was single and seemingly not dating anyone. Perhaps he took a break to focus on newer projects like his live-action Fox Network television comedy, The Orville. He soon wasn’t single, yet again, when he was seen with fellow Orville costar Halston Sage in 2017. The two dated for a while, but broke up sometime in 2018.
According to Creeto, it may have been the first time in MacFarlane’s Hollywood dating experience that things did not end amicably. It was speculated that his split from Sage may have led to her sudden departure from the show in 2019; however, neither Sage nor MacFarlane has ever confirmed it.
MacFarlane moved on to another co-star from The Orville: Anne Winters. Winters joined the cast for the show’s third season when it premiered on Hulu, in 2022. Unfortunately, the series didn’t go any further. And honestly, no one quite knows if MacFarlane and Winters have either, since there are conflicting reports across the internet claiming they’ve broken up or are actually still together.
What has Seth McFarlane said about his own dating history?
Given MacFarlane’s unfortunate track record, there’s a good chance that he’s already single again. Despite his vast fortune, all of his accomplishments, and his uncanny ability to remain friends with most of his exes, it seems that MacFarlane still hasn’t been able to find “the one” yet. The Family Guy creator has recognized this and even compared himself to the famous Family Guy character, Brian Griffin regarding his love life.
“I have some Brian-type issues from time to time⏤looking for the right person⏤but I date as much as the next guy,” he said in a 2004 interview with The Daily Princetonian.
You can look at that statement as either a good thing or a bad one. Brian is great but unlucky in love. And it’s also true that he has a bit of an ego, something that doesn’t have a long shelf-life in relationships.
If MacFarlane is indeed living and “loving” like Brian, some self-reflection might be needed before jumping into the dating scene again. Hopefully, both he and Brian will one day be able to find true love. Until then, we wish them both the best of luck ⏤ they will need it.