Family Guy Lois Griffin: is character dead? Why is ‘Lois Griffin dead at 43’ trending on social media

Family Guy’s Lois Griffin joins the likes of Morgan Freeman, Drake, and Taylor Swift to be the victim of a celebrity death hoax
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Another day, another TikTok trend that defies explanation. The death of a well known animated character from the sitcom Family Guy was announced on the video-sharing site this week, posing the philosophical question of whether an animated character can ever truly die.

Celebrity death hoaxes are usually mean-spirited, especially when they concern national treasures in their twilight years - but when the victim is an animated woman who has been the same age for the last 23 years, the prank seems more like harmless fun. For those concerned about the health of Lois Griffin, or if you just want to understand why the character’s supposed death has gone viral - this is everything you need to know:

Lois Griffin is the latest victim of a celebrity death hoaxLois Griffin is the latest victim of a celebrity death hoax
Lois Griffin is the latest victim of a celebrity death hoax

Is Lois Griffin dead?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The short answer is no. The celebrity death hoax is a tale as old as social media - for years false stories of the deaths of much loved public figures have circulated on Twitter and Facebook.

However, Lois is likely one of the first fictional characters to be a victim of the hoax. The phrase ‘Lois Griffin is dead at 43’ has been trending on Twitter and video-sharing app TikTok since Boxing Day.

TikTokers have filmed themselves telling family members that Lois has passed away and recorded their (often bemused) reactions. In their pranks, TikTokers are saying that Lois Griffin is dead at 43 to their family and recording their reactions. In one instance, a TikToker exclaims ‘I just watched her on TV last week.’

Many of those filmed simply have no idea who Lois is and resort to Googling her, only to find that she is a cartoon character, which only confuses them more. It’s not clear where the death hoax originated as Lois has not died in the show, but as with most TikTok trends, it’s best not to over analyse it.

Who is Lois Griffin?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lois is a main character on the hit Fox animated adult comedy series Family Guy. She is the wife of Peter Griffin and mother of Meg, Chris, and Stewie, as well as the owner of dog Brian - the family pet also has a strange infatuation with Lois, but that’s a story for another day.

Alex Borstein attends FOX’s Family Guy 400th Episode CelebrationAlex Borstein attends FOX’s Family Guy 400th Episode Celebration
Alex Borstein attends FOX’s Family Guy 400th Episode Celebration

Lois has appeared on all 400 episodes in the series since the show began back in 1999. She is often shown to be frustrated with Peter’s childish behaviour and ill-thought out schemes. Lois is actually 43 or thereabouts in the show. As Family Guy is a cartoon, Lois has been 43 for more than two decades, although she has celebrated birthdays throughout the series.

Who plays Lois Griffin on Family Guy?

Lois is voiced by American actress Alex Borstein who is eight years her character’s senior. Borstein has voiced Lois is every episode of the show to date. Her other voice acting credits include The Cleveland Show, Bordertown, The Angry Birds Movie, and Robot Chicken.

Borstein has appeared in the flesh in shows including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Getting On, and MadTV. She is very much alive and will appear in new episodes of Family Guy, airing in 2023.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.