Matthew LeBlanc will always be known to the public for playing Joey Tribbiani in the enduring NBC comedy “Friends.”
As Joey and his buddies (Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, and Matthew Perry) embarked on many escapades, fans from all over the world tuned in to see them. Joey’s catchphrase was always “How you doin’?”
The success of the show brought its stars not only fame but also material fortune.
Throughout the ten seasons of the TV success, LeBlanc played a silly, jovial character, but in reality, he was secretly struggling with fame and dealing with a multitude of personal issues that distracted him from his work.
The “Friends” star’s life and career had experienced a significant transition by the middle of the 2000s. And he didn’t mind at all. I’m not seeking to be an A-list movie star, he claimed in an interview with Watch magazine from 2020. Where I am, I’m content. I feel prosperous. I also feel content.
What ultimately happened to Matt LeBlanc? Let’s get started.
Matt LeBlanc disappeared from view in public.
One of the six main actors on “Friends,” Matt LeBlanc portrayed the endearing goofball Joey throughout the entire ten-season run of the show.
He became an international celebrity as a result of the show’s enormous success, and he was immediately recognized everywhere he went.
LeBlanc spoke on the “Friends” mania he still recalls in a clip from an episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show” from the year 2020.
He recalls seeing overhead pictures of the homes of the six “Friends” stars one day when he turned on the television. He clarified that there was “just showing the houses,” adding that “there was no information, no news, really.”
Matt LeBlanc took a break after “Friends” and its spinoff “Joey” wrapped up filming. In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, he claimed, “I really didn’t think about work at all.”
He also took some time off to separate himself from the spotlight. According to LeBlanc, “For years and years, I hardly left the house,” The Mirror quoted him as saying. I was exhausted. I desired not to be on a timetable or go anywhere. (LeBlanc later tweeted that he declined the outlet’s request for an interview.)
He made a comeback to television in 2011 with the show “Episodes,” and since then, he has made appearances in “Top Gear” and “Man with a Plan.”
As an infant, his daughter experienced health problems.
Melissa McKnight, Matt LeBlanc’s ex-wife at the time, and they welcomed a daughter they named Marina in 2004.
According to the Mirror, Marina was given the cortical dysplasia diagnosis when she was just a newborn.
“Cortical dysplasia occurs before a child is born, when developing brain cells, or neurons, fail to reach the parts of the brain for which they are genetically destined. … This condition is one of the most common causes of epilepsy and seizures.”
In 2014, LeBlanc reflected on that time, telling The Telegraph, “I didn’t feel like being funny. I had a lot going on in my personal life.”
The Telegraph also reported that Marina’s condition had improved while she was still an infant.
LeBlanc added that someone close to the family sold details about his daughter’s illness to the media.
The actor was understandably upset that this was released without his permission, but he kept his cool.
“If someone messes with your infant child, that instinct is very hard to suppress. I chose wisely. Nobody got hurt,” he explained.
He halted his career for six years
Matt LeBlanc had become accustomed to a hectic schedule during the filming of “Friends,” and when the massively successful comedy ended, he dove headfirst into filming the spinoff show, “Joey.”
LeBlanc remarked in a roundtable for The Hollywood Reporter, “I wanna take at least a year to not do anything, and that turned into six years, I was enjoying myself.”
He went on to explain that he was having a wonderful vacation and that he especially enjoyed being at home with his daughter Marina.
‘I really try to offset this computer-age kid thing that’s going on now with as much time outside,’ he reportedly told the Mirror. ‘We prepare breakfast, go horseback riding, hiking.’ He said, “spending time with her is the best thing I’ve ever done. We have a great bond and it’s the best thing in my life.”
In that same article, he shared, “I remember when my daughter, Marina, was born. The second I laid eyes on her, I was in love, and I had never felt that way before.”
Having a comedic superstar as a father certainly has its advantages, but it doesn’t mean you can ask for anything you want for your birthday.
LeBlanc told People in 2016 that his daughter had requested that he utilize his influence to get Rihanna to her birthday bash. He joked, “I was like, ‘I’ll get right on that, sure.’”
A night at a strip club made headlines
After rumors spread that Matt LeBlanc had been too physical with a dancer at a nightclub in 2005, his reputation as a womanizer skyrocketed. LeBlanc made an open confession for his actions.
“The stripper was all over me, took off her top and wanted to perform a private dance, LeBlanc said to The Sun (via Female First). “She was in my face, pushing her breasts into me and grabbing my hands to go all over her body,” he said.
He then blamed his actions on the fact that he had been drinking that evening, but ultimately accepted responsibility. “If I had been sober perhaps I would have acted quicker but I was drunk,” LeBlanc reportedly stated. “I knew I was wrong.”
According to the Metro, the dancer, Stephanie Stephens, filed a lawsuit against LeBlanc in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging that she lost income as a result of LeBlanc’s comments about the incident that were published in the National Inquirer.
Matt LeBlanc’s marriage came to an end
When asked about what ultimately doomed his relationship with Melissa McKnight, “Friends” star Matt LeBlanc said in a 2005 interview with the National Enquirer, “The stripper was all over me. I acted like a fool in allowing myself to be led astray and placed in such a horrible situation and I feel ashamed.” In spite of his admission of guilt, LeBlanc was not able to salvage his relationship and his personal life quickly began to unravel. “As a family man, I’ve asked myself, ‘How could I have been so stupid and naïve to get myself into such a situation with a stripper?’” LeBlanc told the outlet.
In March 2006, LeBlanc filed for divorce from McKnight, citing irreconcilable differences. “It was very sudden,” a friend of McKnight’s told People. “She was absolutely blindsided by what transpired.” LeBlanc’s publicist stated, “The dissolution is amicable.” They continue to be loving parents and friends since finalizing their divorce in September.
Shortly later, it was reported that LeBlanc was seeing his “Joey” co-star Andrea Anders.
He had an active dating life
According to the Mirror, Matt LeBlanc has been romantically linked to a long list of famous women, including Minnie Driver, Kate Hudson, Brandi Glanville, and Playboy Playmate Tonya Poole, all of whom gained notoriety after their relationships with the “Friends” star became public knowledge.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing, though; in 2010, LeBlanc met British actor Holly Magrath on the set of “Episodes,” and the two allegedly became romantically involved while he was still married, per E! News.
After the couple divorced, he began dating Andrea Anders, his co-star from the spinoff show “Joey.”
After meeting TV producer Aurora Mulligan on the set of “Top Gear,” LeBlanc pursued a relationship with her and the two dated for almost six years before breaking up in February 2022, as reported by The Sun.
Matt LeBlanc kept earning millions
After “Friends” and “Joey,” Matt LeBlanc took a break from the sitcom industry, but that didn’t stop him from making millions of dollars as he spent his days at home with his daughter and avoided the spotlight.
In 2015, USA Today reported that a decade after the show ended, “Friends” reruns continued to generate $1 billion annually for Warner Bros.
Each cast member was reportedly earning 2% of the profits during syndication, which equated to $20 million a year.
A whopping $85 million is what LeBlanc is now worth, according to Celebrity Net Worth; not bad for a guy who, as co-creator Marta Kauffman revealed on HBO’s “Friends” reunion special (via The Sun), just had $11 to his name when he tried out for the job.
Please SHARE this article with others who love Friends as well!
