One of the most precious things in this business we call show is the special relationship between a creator and their frequent collaborator. An actor that keeps popping up, a good luck charm, a muse. Scorsese has Leonardo DiCaprio, Gary Marshall had Hector Elizondo, and Seth MacFarlane has Leonardo DiCaprio…’s Critters 3 co-star Scott Grimes. Grimes has been with MacFarlane since American Dad, playing teen dweebus Steve. “First and foremost, he’s one of my best friends,†Grimes told Vulture on Ted red carpet. “We were friends first, and he said ‘You wanna do American Dad?’†From there, Grimes also came aboard The Orville as the ship’s helmsman. He’s now on the Ted TV series as Matty, the cantankerous head of household, dealing with teen and talking bear shenanigans with an equal lack of grace. MacFarlane said that the collaboration works so well because they hear the script with the same music. “When you put something on the page, they know exactly how you’re hearing it in your head. He is one of those actors,†MacFarlane told Vulture. “Every word that I write, he knows how I’m hearing it, because he’s hearing it exactly the same way.â€
Grimes said that, originally, there was no plan to include him in the Ted fam. “He would bring me over to his house, and show me auditions of who he wanted. I wasn’t even thought of,†he said. “We weren’t talking about that.†MacFarlane wasn’t thinking of Grimes in the role of Matty, an angry and pretty racist drunk. “I’m nothing like this guy, and he knew it. So that’s why he didn’t want me at first,†Grimes said. “I said ‘Well, that’s what we do as actors. Give me a shot to create something.’â€