Seth Green based Chris's voice off Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs
Rather than finding inspiration in other cartoons or comedic shows similar to "Family Guy," as might be expected, Seth Green actually found inspiration for Chris's voice in the 1991 horror movie "Silence of the Lambs." In a panel for PaleyFestLA, Green said he based Chris's voice off of serial killer Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine), who murders women and then skins them so he can sew pieces together and make a "woman suit" to wear. Green said that, during his audition for the role of Chris, he actually did an impression of Buffalo Bill because of a dare he received from a fellow actor friend.
Buffalo Bill's normal voice is not as high-pitched as Chris's, but it still shares the nasal, drawn-out drawl of Chris's voice. Additionally, when he is being especially weird or creepy, Bill's voice sometimes slips into a higher-pitched tone, making the inspiration for Chris even more evident.
Several Redditors, including u/flossdaily, felt that Chris's voice does not actually sound like Buffalo Bill, even if this is where the inspiration came from. However, Green specifically based Chris's voice off the way Buffalo Bill's voice would sound if he were speaking over the P.A. system at a fast food restaurant. So, Chris is not supposed to sound exactly like Buffalo Bill, but like a modified version of him. Still, the resemblance is uncanny at times, such as during Season 7, Episode 13 "Stew-Roids," during which Chris re-enacts the scene where Buffalo Bill dances in front of the mirror to the song "Goodbye Horses."
The Chilling Inspiration Behind Chris' Voice On Family Guy
