Early Life and Education

Alexandrea Borstein was born on February 15, 1971, in Highland Park, Illinois. Her parents, Irv and Judy Borstein, were both professionals in the mental health field. She was raised alongside two older siblings. Borstein later attended San Francisco State University, where she cultivated her interest in performance and comedy. She further developed her comedic skills through improv training at the ACME Comedy Theater in Los Angeles.

Career Beginnings and Voice Acting Success

Borstein began her entertainment career in the mid-1990s working on animated series such as Casper and Pinky and the Brain. She made an early career shift from working at an advertising agency—where she created promotional content for Barbie—to pursuing entertainment full-time. In 1996, she voiced the character Queen Machina in Power Rangers Zeo.

Her career gained momentum in 1997 when she joined the cast of the sketch comedy series MADtv. During her time on the show, which lasted until 2009, she performed a wide range of original characters and celebrity impressions. In 1999, Borstein began voicing multiple characters—including Lois Griffin, Tricia Takanawa, and Loretta Brown—in the newly launched animated sitcom Family Guy.

Although Family Guy was briefly canceled in 2003, the show returned in 2005, with Borstein resuming her iconic role as Lois Griffin. Her voice work earned her multiple Emmy nominations, including “Outstanding Voice-Over Performance” in 2013 and “Outstanding Animated Program” in 2008 as part of the show’s creative team.