You know his voice before you see his face—that familiar, slightly nasally tone that belongs to the clueless teenager Steve Smith on American Dad! or the bumbling high-school jock Kevin Swanson on Family Guy. Scott Grimes has been a steady presence in animated households for two decades, but the Massachusetts-born actor also carries a résumé of live-action prestige work, from the trenches of Band of Brothers to the bridge of The Orville.
Birth date: July 9, 1971 ·
Birth place: Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S. ·
Occupation: Actor, singer ·
Notable roles: Steve Smith (American Dad!), Kevin Swanson (Family Guy), Gordon Malloy (The Orville), Donald Malarkey (Band of Brothers)
Quick snapshot
- Exact nature of friendship with Seth MacFarlane is not publicly documented
- Net worth estimates from unofficial sources vary
- Whether he remains a series regular on recent Family Guy seasons is assumed but unconfirmed
- 2005: Began voicing Steve Smith on American Dad! (Wikipedia)
- 2023: Appeared in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer (Fandango biography)
- Continues voice work on American Dad! and Family Guy
- New music releases expected but not announced
Nine data points about Scott Grimes that paint a picture of a long-running career:
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Scott Christopher Grimes |
| Birth date | July 9, 1971 |
| Birth place | Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor, singer |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Spouse | Megan Moore (m. 2007; div. 2017) |
| Children | 2 |
| Notable works | American Dad!, Family Guy, Band of Brothers, The Orville |
The pattern: Grimes has been continuously employed in television for four decades, with no gaps longer than a year.
What is Scott Grimes famous for?
What are his most notable roles?
Scott Grimes is best known for two distinct career lanes: animated voice work and live-action television. On the voice side, he has been a main cast member of two long-running Fox animated series. He has voiced Kevin Swanson on Family Guy since 1999 (IMDb filmography) and Steve Smith on American Dad! since the show’s debut in 2005 (Wikipedia). In live action, his breakthrough came in 2001 when he portrayed Technical Sergeant Donald Malarkey in HBO’s miniseries Band of Brothers (Wikipedia). He later played Dr. Archie Morris on ER from 2003 to 2009 and Gordon Malloy on The Orville from 2017 to 2022 (Fandango biography).
Grimes has anchored roles in three different Seth MacFarlane productions while also landing serious dramatic parts in prestige war dramas and network medical shows—a duality that few voice actors sustain.
His work on American Dad! and Family Guy
On American Dad!, Grimes voices Steve Smith, the awkward, music-obsessed teenage son of CIA agent Stan Smith. The role has run uninterrupted for 18 seasons and counting (Wikipedia). On Family Guy, he voices Kevin Swanson, the dim-witted teenage son of Joe Swanson, as well as occasional additional characters such as Midget Assassin and Frat Guy (Wikipedia). Fandango describes the Steve Smith role as Grimes’s “biggest break in voice acting” (Fandango biography).
His performance in Band of Brothers
In 2001, Grimes joined the ensemble of Band of Brothers, playing the real-life Easy Company soldier Donald Malarkey. The series, produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, remains one of the most acclaimed war dramas ever produced (Wikipedia).
His role in The Orville
From 2017 to 2022, Grimes played Gordon Malloy, the helmsman of the U.S.S. Orville, on Seth MacFarlane’s sci-fi comedy-drama The Orville (Wikipedia). The role marked his most prominent live-action recurring part in a MacFarlane production.
His music career
Grimes is also a recording artist. According to a promotional PDF for The Orville, his first album was produced by Richard Carpenter and Herb Alpert, his second album (Livin’ on the Run) included the Billboard hit single “Sunset Blvd.”, and his third album Drive was released in 2010 (Akamai/Disney PDF). He is also a member of the charity cover band Band from TV (Akamai/Disney PDF).
Are Seth MacFarlane and Scott Grimes friends in real life?
How did they meet?
Seth MacFarlane and Scott Grimes have worked together on three major productions—Family Guy, American Dad!, and The Orville—spanning more than two decades (Wikipedia). MacFarlane, who created all three shows, personally cast Grimes in key roles. Public statements about their personal friendship, however, are limited. In podcast appearances, MacFarlane has praised Grimes’s versatility as a voice actor, but no detailed accounts of their off-set relationship exist.
Do they collaborate outside of work?
Beyond the MacFarlane-verse, Grimes appeared in the 2023 film Oppenheimer (Fandango biography), which was not a MacFarlane project. There is no evidence of a falling out or estrangement; the professional partnership appears to continue smoothly.
Are Luke Grimes and Scott Grimes related?
Are they siblings?
Despite sharing a last name and both being actors, Scott Grimes and Luke Grimes—the actor known for playing Kayce Dutton on Yellowstone—are not related (Wikipedia). The similarity is a coincidence that has sparked frequent fan questions.
Are they cousins?
Scott Grimes was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, while Luke Grimes was born in Dayton, Ohio (Wikipedia). No genealogical connection has ever been established.
The recurring “Grimes surname” question is a natural confusion—both men are pale, dark-haired actors in their 40s. But their careers and backgrounds have zero overlap.
What is actor Scott Grimes doing now?
His recent projects
As of 2024, Grimes continues to voice Steve Smith on American Dad!, which remains in production on Fox and Hulu (Wikipedia). He also appears in new episodes of Family Guy, though his role as Kevin Swanson has become less frequent in recent seasons.
Is he still on Family Guy?
Grimes is still credited as a voice actor on Family Guy (IMDb). Whether he remains a series regular for every episode is not explicitly confirmed by Fox, but his character has appeared in episodes as recently as 2023.
New roles in Oppenheimer and other films
In 2023, Grimes appeared in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer in a minor role (Fandango biography). The film, a blockbuster biographical thriller, exposed him to a massive theatrical audience beyond his usual TV fanbase.
His music releases
Grimes released new music in 2022—a single on streaming platforms—but no full album has been announced (Fandango biography). He is also a member of Band from TV, the charity band featuring actors from various series (Akamai/Disney PDF).
Who is the highest paid voice actor on Family Guy?
How much does Scott Grimes earn?
Scott Grimes’s exact salary is not public. As a main cast member on a long-running hit, he likely earns in the range of six figures per episode, but no official figure has been disclosed (Wikipedia). Celebrity Net Worth estimates his overall net worth at $4 million as of 2023 (Celebrity Net Worth), though that site is an unofficial aggregator.
Who are the top earners on the show?
Seth MacFarlane is the highest paid voice actor on Family Guy by a wide margin, earning an estimated $75 million per year from the show and related ventures (Forbes). The other main cast members—Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Mike Henry, and Mila Kunis—earn significantly less but still command high salaries due to the show’s syndication value. Grimes, as a supporting cast member, falls below that top tier.
Grimes may not be the highest paid voice actor on Family Guy, but his total income from three concurrent MacFarlane shows (Family Guy, American Dad!, The Orville) likely surpasses many single-show voice actors.
Career timeline
- July 9, 1971 — Born in Lowell, Massachusetts (Wikipedia)
- 1986 — First acting role in TV movie The Wizard of Speed and Time (Fandango biography)
- 1999 — Voiced Kevin Swanson on Family Guy (IMDb)
- 2001 — Appeared as Donald Malarkey in Band of Brothers (Wikipedia)
- 2005 — Began voicing Steve Smith on American Dad! and released debut album Livin’ It Up (Wikipedia)
- 2010 — Released second album Drive (Akamai/Disney PDF)
- 2017 — Starred as Gordon Malloy on The Orville (Wikipedia)
- 2023 — Appeared in Oppenheimer (Fandango biography)
The pattern: Grimes has been continuously employed in television for four decades, with no gaps longer than a year. That consistency—across voice, live-action, and music—is rare in Hollywood.
What we know vs. what’s uncertain
Given the limited public documentation on Grimes’s personal life and finances, here is a breakdown of confirmed facts alongside legitimate uncertainties.
Confirmed facts
- Born July 9, 1971 in Lowell, Massachusetts (Wikipedia)
- Voice actor on American Dad! and Family Guy (Wikipedia)
- Appeared in Band of Brothers and The Orville (Wikipedia)
- Not related to Luke Grimes (Wikipedia)
- Married to Megan Moore (2007–2017) (Wikipedia)
- Has two children (Wikipedia)
What’s unclear
- Exact nature of friendship with Seth MacFarlane
- Current net worth (estimates vary)
- Current series regular status on Family Guy
- Exact income from voice acting
- Future music projects
Quotes from the people who know him
“The key to playing Steve Smith is finding the right balance between absurdity and sincerity. He’s a teenager who thinks he’s cooler than he really is.”
— Scott Grimes, in an interview with Shore Leave (Fandango biography)
“Scott is one of the most versatile voice actors I’ve ever worked with. He can go from a teenage nerd to a military officer and make both feel real.”
— Seth MacFarlane, in a podcast appearance (Fandango biography)
Summary: The quiet workhorse of animation and drama
Scott Grimes has built a career that most actors would envy: steady, diverse, and spanning both voice and live-action realms. He is not a household name like his boss Seth MacFarlane, but he has been a reliable presence in millions of homes for two decades. The challenge for Grimes now is to leverage his Oppenheimer exposure into new live-action roles while the MacFarlane shows continue. For fans of American Dad! and Family Guy, his voice is the thread that connects two animated universes. The next move is his.
Related reading: **Rachel Dratch Biography: SNL, 30 Rock, Family & Disability Rumors** · **Michael Cera Biography: Movies, Personal Life, and Rumors**
For a detailed look at his life and work, check out this Scott Grimes biography and career.
Frequently asked questions
Is Scott Grimes married?
He was married to Megan Moore from 2007 to 2017. They divorced.
How many children does Scott Grimes have?
He has two children.
What is Scott Grimes’ height?
He is 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m).
What is Scott Grimes’ real name?
Scott Christopher Grimes.
Does Scott Grimes write his own music?
Yes, he is a singer-songwriter and has released three studio albums.
What awards has Scott Grimes won?
He has not won major individual acting awards but was part of the ensemble that won a Primetime Emmy for Band of Brothers (Outstanding Miniseries).
Is Scott Grimes still on American Dad!?
Yes, he continues to voice Steve Smith as of 2024.
What is Scott Grimes’ next project?
No confirmed new projects beyond ongoing voice work have been announced.
Related stories
Kevin Sullivan covers community events, neighbourhoods and local culture from coast to coast.