Why Mila Kunis Replaced Lacey Chabert As Family Guy's Meg

Seth MacFarlane's animated sitcom "Family Guy" debuted in 1999 as, effectively, a crass redux of "The Simpsons." This was a telling development in popular culture, as "The Simpsons," which debuted a full decade earlier, was seen as the crass redux of most traditional sitcoms. The below-average boob Homer Simpson (Dan Castellaneta) was replaced by the boorish moron Peter Griffin (MacFarlane). "The Simpsons" often presented juvenile humor, but was clearly made by smart people who liked to slip high-end literary and scientific references into their scripts. "Family Guy," in contrast, well full-bore fratboy, leaning heavily into tasteless (and darkly funny) jokes about sexual assault, racism, and celebrity culture. "Family Guy" pivoted on pop culture references, specifically remembered by those born in the mid-1970s. 

"Family Guy" also aged up its child characters. On "The Simpsons," Bart (Nancy Cartwright) and Lisa (Yeardley Smith) were 10 and 8 respectively. On "Family Guy," Chris (Seth Green) and Meg (we'll get to this) were 14 and 17 respectively. 

For the show's first season, Meg was played (uncredited) by Lacey Chabert, still appearing on the hit primetime soap "Party of Five" at the time. Chabert was a rising star, having already appeared on stage as the young Cosette in "Les Misérables," and having voiced multiple animated characters besides. Chabert dropped out of "Family Guy" after only 15 episodes, however, and she was replaced by Mila Kunis in season two. Kunis was known, in 2000, for small roles on "7th Heaven" and "Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher," and she had just begun a lucrative stint on "That '70s Show." 

Fans of "Family Guy" once circulated rumors that Chabert had been fired from the show, but it seems that the real answer is not as salacious as one might think. Chabert, who was attending school while also appearing on "Party of Five," simply didn't have the time to continue appearing as a main character on an animated series as well. She talked about her departure in a 2006 interview with GameSpy. 

To clarify: Lacey Chabert has no resentment toward MacFarlane, Kunis, or any of the makers of "Family Guy." She was not ousted or fired, or even unhappy.  She was just too busy with other projects to stay with this particular animated show. She also couldn't have predicted that "Family Guy" would have had the legs it did; the series has returned after cancelation and is now on its 22nd season. Chabert wasn't thinking about the potential success of the show, so much as the sleep she was missing. Chabert said: 

"No, 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 [Mila Kunis] at all. I think she's a great actress." 

Chabert might have also dodged a bullet. While Kunis has enjoyed great success playing Meg Griffin, the character is a sad sack, the subject of repeated abuses. Characters are constantly mocking her for her looks, and the writers have beset Meg with all manner of strange ailments and mutations. Throughout the series, it's revealed that Meg has an infant child she keeps in her locker, was born with a tail, and even has her heart located in her skull, next to her brain. That's why she always wears her pink knit beanie. 

Chabert would go on to appear in the hit cult comedy "Mean Girls" in 2003 (since made into a Broadway musical, and a film version of the musical), and played Eliza Thornberry in the hot Nickelodeon series "The Wild Thornberrys." These days, she has a tidy career appearing regularly in Hallmark Channel Christmas movies, a fine art unto itself. Her next film is a Netflix Christmas movie called "Hot Frosty."