The Ultimate Crossover: Discover 11 Actors Who Mastered Both American Dad and The Orville!

The talented cast of The Orville includes actors who have also worked on Seth MacFarlane's other show, American Dad!. While The Orville is a newer show with three seasons and a fourth on the way, MacFarlane himself is a TV veteran. He has been working in TV for many years, with American Dad! airing continuously since 2005. Throughout his career, MacFarlane has built a network of trusted collaborators whom he frequently brings on board for new projects. The Orville, with its expansive spaceship and countless new worlds, provides ample opportunities for MacFarlane's collaborators.

In The Orville, created by MacFarlane, the story revolves around the crew of the USS Orville, a space exploration vessel set 400 years in the future. This comedy show lovingly pays homage to the original Star Trek series and its sequel, The Next Generation. While the first season of The Orville received negative reviews from critics, the second and third seasons were widely acclaimed, with reviews praising the series' shift towards thoughtful character-driven drama while maintaining its irreverent comedy. On the other hand, American Dad! serves as a more consistent platform for MacFarlane's humorous style, following the outrageous lives of CIA agent Stan Smith and his unconventional family.

Seth MacFarlane

Scott Grimes

Seth MacFarlane is not only the creator but also the star of two popular shows, The Orville and American Dad!. In The Orville, he brilliantly portrays the ship's captain, Ed Mercer. Meanwhile, on American Dad!, MacFarlane showcases his versatile talents by providing the voices for numerous characters, including the lead character, CIA agent Stan Smith, and the self-absorbed alien, Roger. MacFarlane's impressive career spans across writing, acting, and voice acting, where he has taken the helm of several prominent projects. However, he is perhaps best recognized as the mastermind behind Family Guy, a show that also features many actors from The Orville. Apart from his animated work, MacFarlane has ventured into the realm of live-action as well. He both wrote and directed the Ted films, where he lends his voice to the titular talking bear. In fact, he has exciting plans to reprise his role for an upcoming prequel series.

Scott Grimes, well-known for his role as the voice of teenaged Steve Smith on American Dad!, is also a key actor in the cast of The Orville. In the show, Grimes portrays Lt. Gordon Malloy, the skilled helmsman of the ship. Notably, Grimes has had a longstanding collaboration with MacFarlane, lending his voice to the recurring character Kevin, Joe Swanson's son, in Family Guy. Moreover, he is set to star in MacFarlane's upcoming Ted prequel series. Beyond his work with MacFarlane, Grimes has left a lasting impression with his starring role as Donald G. Malarkey in the World War 2 miniseries Band of Brothers. Additionally, he has showcased his acting abilities in other notable shows such as ER, where he played the character Archie Morris, and Party of Five, where he portrayed Will McCorkle.

Mike Henry

Rachael MacFarlane

Mike Henry is widely recognized for his notable contributions in popular television shows like American Dad! and The Orville. In The Orville, Henry portrays Dann, an alien engineer with a distinct globe-shaped head, serving as a lieutenant aboard the USS Orville. Additionally, Henry's voice talent graces American Dad!, where he lends his voice to various characters in over 70 episodes of the series. One of his most memorable roles is that of Jackson, Stan's fellow CIA coworker. Moreover, Henry's involvement in Seth MacFarlane's projects expands further; he voices Cleveland Brown in Family Guy, and has reprised this role in The Cleveland Show, a spinoff dedicated to the character. Not limited to these shows, Henry also showcases his talent as a newscaster in Ted and provides voices for a multitude of characters in Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy web series.

Rachael MacFarlane, sister of Seth MacFarlane, is an accomplished actress known for her voice work in various major productions. She has played significant roles in her brother's projects as well. In American Dad!, Rachael lends her voice to the idealistic character of Hayley Smith, Stan's daughter. Additionally, she recurs as the voice of the onboard computer on the USS Orville in The Orville. Rachael MacFarlane's involvement in Seth MacFarlane's projects extends to various voice roles on Family Guy, including Meg Griffin's friend Tatum and even Meg herself in the series pilot. Furthermore, she portrays an assistant in Ted 2. Outside of these projects, Rachael MacFarlane has also provided her voice for Wonder Woman in DC Super Friends and Mindy in The Grim Adventures of Grim and Mandy.

Dee Bradley Baker

Dee Bradley Baker has an extensive repertoire as a voice actor, boasting an impressive tally of over 600 acting credits to his name. His talent can be heard on American Dad! where he brings life to Klaus, the remarkable talking goldfish equipped with the cognitive abilities of a German Olympian. In addition, he lends his voice to The Orville as Dr. Jorvik, a fascinating amphibian alien creature who also happens to be a skilled botanist. Fans of Family Guy will recognize Baker's voice in various supporting roles throughout several episodes. One of his standout accomplishments includes voicing Perry the Platypus on the beloved show Phineas and Ferb, as well as portraying Daffy Duck in the animated classic Space Jam. Moreover, Baker has left an indelible mark on the Star Wars universe, embodying the essence of numerous clone troopers, such as Commanders Rex and Cody, in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

J. Lee

J. Lee takes on the character of John LaMarr in The Orville, starting off as the ship's navigator before being promoted to Lieutenant Commander by Ed Mercer. Additionally, Lee is a recurring voice actor on American Dad!, lending his talents to a variety of supporting roles. Lee's career kicked off as a production assistant on Family Guy and he later joined the voice cast of American Dad!. His collaboration with Seth MacFarlane includes projects like Family Guy, The Cleveland Show, and Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy. Notably, Lee is also credited as a writer on The Cleveland Show. Among his other accomplishments, he plays the role of a hyena in 2019's The Lion King and stars in aTypical Wednesday, a film written and directed by J. Lee.

Hollywood Guest Stars

The Orville has featured several notable actors who have also made appearances on American Dad!. Ted Danson portrays Admiral Perry in seasons 2 and 3 of The Orville, and also guest stars as Dr. Ray Petit on American Dad!. Danson is renowned for his roles in popular TV shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Good Place, and Cheers. Holland Taylor, best known for her performances in Two and A Half Men and the Spy Kids films, plays Ed Mercer’s mother in The Orville and Stan Smith’s mother-in-law in American Dad!.

Jason Alexander, famously known for his portrayal of George Costanza on Seinfeld, guest stars as hypnotherapist Sal in season 2 of American Dad!. In The Orville, Alexander portrays the reptilian bartender Olix, appearing in two episodes of the show's second season. Elizabeth Gillies, who plays Fallon Carrington on the CW's Dynasty reboot, also appears in both series. She takes on the role of the Kandarian immortal Dinal in The Orville, while showcasing her powerful singing voice as the character Lena Horne in American Dad!. Child actor Max Burkholder, known for his role in Parenthood, is featured in both The Orville and American Dad!. Burkholder is set to star as young John Bennett in the upcoming Ted series.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes