The actor played Oz on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” appeared in all three “Austin Powers” movies, and starred in several other films, including “Can’t Hardly Wait.”

Seth Green says he ‘got really good at being invisible’ during ‘uncomfortable’ early years of fame

The actor played Oz on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” appeared in all three “Austin Powers” movies, and starred in several other films, including “Can’t Hardly Wait.”

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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September 13, 2026 4:12 p.m. ET

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Seth Green in 2026. Credit:

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- Seth Green is looking back on the “uncomfortable” early years of his fame.

- The actor said the convergence of his role on* Buffy the Vampire Slayer* and in films like *Can’t Hardly Wait* made him suddenly very recognizable.

- To cope, Green said he became “really good at being invisible.”

Seth Green says it wasn’t until the late ’90s that the true impact of fame began to set in.

These days, the actor is most synonymous with his *Family Guy* character Chris Griffin. But before he was in the voice booth for the long-running adult animated series, Green was a recognizable face for movie-goers and TV lovers alike, thanks to his prolific career throughout the ’90s and 2000s.

Looking back on that period during a visit to Josh McBride’s *The McBride Rewind* podcast, Green said he can still remember the bittersweet realization that he had lost his “anonymity” to fame.

“Somewhere between the end of ’97 and ’99, a series of things happened,” Green told McBride. “*Austin Powers *came out on DVD. I was made a series regular on *Buffy* [*the Vampire Slayer*], and *Can’t Hardly Wait *came out.”

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Charisma Carpenter, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, and Seth Green on ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’.

Suddenly, his face had become one that people were likely to recognize on the street. And before long, he realized that it wasn’t limited to just young *Buffy* fans, but to a wide world of viewers.

“It was that period of time where, like, so many different [demographics] suddenly were like, ‘Oh, you’re Seth Green,’” he recalled. “It became a really uncomfortable period of time.”

Green, who also starred in films like *Idle Hands* and *The* *Attic Expeditions *around the same time that he was playing Oz on *Buffy,* said that he especially struggled with the idea that he was no longer able to blend in while in public spaces.

“I’m like a very silly person in public, and there’s something different about like ‘Who’s that crazy guy who’s singing on the fence’ to be like ‘Yo, Seth Green was out there singing on the fence,’” he joked. “It’s suddenly a very different premise and everyone assumes that you’re doing it for their benefit, and I don’t know.”

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In response, Green said his wacky behavior took a backseat as he “got really good at being invisible.”

Green, who began acting at 7, took on several more film roles during this period of time. He was among the star-studded ensemble of *Rat Race*, led the 2004 comedy *Without a Paddle,* and appeared as Scott Evil, Dr. Evil’s son, across three* Austin Powers *movies. While Green only starred on three of *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*’s seven seasons, he was a welcome addition to the Scooby Gang and a favorite among fans.

Seth Green in ‘Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me’.

Green has also appeared on shows including *The X-Files*, *That ’70s Show*, *Will & Grace*, *MADtv*, *Entourage*, *Grey’s Anatomy*, *Heroes*, and *How I Met Your Mother.*

Though he is still recognized for several of those roles, Green told McBride that fame isn’t why he got into the industry and added that to this day, he still doesn’t “really care” about “being famous.”

He explained, “There isn’t something in me where it’s like, ‘Look at *me*,’ or ‘[Look at] *my* name.’ It’s never really been about that.”

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Green explained that it’s all about the pride of making the audience feel something.

“That’s the thing that I can do, and it feels amazing when I’m doing it,” he said. “I think other actors can relate to this. Somewhere between ‘action’ and ‘cut’ is where I feel the most like myself.”

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