Actor Says She Became a ‘Recluse’ After the Meme Circulated Widely Online
Chloë Grace Moretz has opened up about how a viral meme comparing her body to a character from Family Guy deeply affected her life and body image.
The 25-year-old actress, known for roles in 500 Days of Summer and Kick-Ass, shared her experience in a recent interview with Hunger magazine, discussing how the meme negatively impacted her self-esteem. The meme stemmed from a 2016 photo of Moretz walking into a hotel after picking up pizza, which was widely compared to a character from Family Guy.
In the episode titled “Amish Guy,” Family Guy introduces a fictional character named Legs Go All The Way Up Griffin, who has exaggerated proportions, including long legs and a short torso. Viewers began to edit Moretz’s photo, altering her body proportions to resemble the character, and circulated the comparison across social media.
Reflecting on the experience, Moretz said, “I just remember sitting there and thinking, my body is being used as a joke and it’s something that I can’t change about who I am, and it is being posted all over Instagram. It was something so benign as walking into a hotel with leftovers.”
The actor admitted that the meme’s viral spread led her to retreat from public life. Many dismissed her concerns, defending the joke as harmless. “I brought it up with someone and they were like, ‘Oh, shut the f*** up, it’s funny,’” she recalled, expressing her frustration at being mocked.
Moretz is set to star in the upcoming Amazon Prime thriller The Peripheral, which premieres on 21 October.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the Family Guy writers used Moretz’s photo as inspiration for the character. In fact, it was viewers who made the comparison after the episode aired.
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