Who is Matt LeBlanc?
If you love the hit sitcom ‘Friends,’ you surely know one of the main characters named Joey Tribbiani. Throughout the series, Joey’s character is mainly portrayed as a silly food-loving womanizer. He is also loyal to his friends.
Matt LeBlanc played this critically acclaimed character. This role led him to gain success in the entertainment industry.
Due to his outstanding performance in the sitcom, critics nominated Matt LeBlanc for several awards. The award list included three Emmy Awards nominations.
Furthermore, LeBlanc’s character received a lot of fondness from the fans. It even led the creators of ‘Friends’ to develop a spin-off called ‘Joey.’ This show solely focused on his role.
Apart from ‘Friends’ and ‘Joey,’ Matt LeBlanc has also worked for other projects like ‘Episodes,’ ‘Top Gear,’ and ‘Man with a Plan.’ Moreover, Matt got nominated for four Emmy Awards due to his role in ‘Episodes.’
At present, Leblanc is in a relationship with a documentary film producer Aurora Mulligan. However, before Mulligan, Matt was married to an American actress Melissa McKnight. He also shares a daughter named Marina Pearl LeBlanc with McKnight.
Please continue reading to know more about Matt LeBlanc and his journey to success.
Matt LeBlanc: Bio, Early Life, and Education
Matt LeBlanc was born at 4:18 a.m. on July 25th, 1967, in Newton, Massachusetts, United States. He came from a middle-class household.
His father, Paul LeBlanc, was a mechanic, and his mother, Patricia (Di Collo) Grossman, was an office manager. Matt completed his high school degree from Newton High School.
LeBlanc graduated from high school in the same year as American stand-up comedian Louis C.K.
After completing high school, Matt planned to become a carpenter. He wanted to study building construction technology. So, Matt briefly attended Wentworth Institute of Technology.
However, he quit his education after a semester in Wentworth. LeBlanc moved to New York when he was only 17 years old to pursue acting.
Matt LeBlanc: Family
Growing up, Matt had a complicated relationship with his father, Paul LeBlanc. Matt’s father had abandoned him and his mother while he was still a baby. Matt also confessed that he met his father for the first time when he was eight years old.
LeBlanc has publicly blamed his parent’s fluctuating bond for being the cause of his failed relationships. He claimed that his father was never loyal to his mother. Matt’s father used to have extramarital affairs while still married.
Matt revealed that while his mother got married twice. His father, on the other hand, has been married to different women about ten times.
During an interview with Express, Matt said,
“My dad was a ladies man; now he’s old, I don’t talk to him.”
He also stated that his father tried to be more involved in his life after his success through ‘Friends.’ The father-son duo did try to reconcile after Matt came to the spotlight. But, they completely stopped speaking after a few years.
The bond broke again when Paul had sold a story to a magazine without his son’s permission. It was about a rumored fling between Matt and Jennifer Aniston. Paul later addressed the complete abandonment of his son and stated,
“He’s still my son, but I’m very hurt by what he’s done. Matthew has always been wild and reckless. If I do not see or talk to him again, then fine.”
Matt LeBlanc: Personality Traits
Matt LeBlanc is an American by nationality. However, his father is of French-Canadian descent. Matt’s mother comes from Italian ancestry.
Due to his background, Matt has played several roles as an Italian American. He also revealed that his surname LeBlanc is French for ‘The white.’
Since Matt LeBlanc was born on July 25th, his sun sign lies under Leo. People under the Leo sign are famous for having a highly outgoing personality and an independent nature. Their social skills also make them take charge of things naturally.
Matt’s actual personality completely matches with his sun sign’s characteristics. He has an entrepreneurial and progressive nature. It makes him determined to dedicate himself to his plan until he achieves his goals.
Matt’s famous ‘Friends’ character, Joey, is well-known to be promiscuous and dim-witted. But, he is quite wise in real life.
LeBlanc is also known to foster several hobbies while he is not working. He loves parachute jumping, car racing, and has some interest in photography.
Matt stands 5’9 inches (1.77m) tall and weighs about 77 kg (169 lbs). He has a beautiful pair of dark brown eyes and dark brown colored hair.
Matt LeBlanc: Can Matt LeBlanc speak French?
In ‘Friends’ season 10 episode 13, named “The one where Joey speaks French,” Matt Blanc’s character Joey had difficulty speaking French. Unlike his character in the sitcom, LeBlanc can speak French fluently. His dad is of French Canadian descent, and his mother comes from Italian descent.
Matt LeBlanc: Relationships
Series of relationship before Melissa McKnight
Matt LeBlanc has publicly been in series of relationships throughout his life. Before he met his ex-wife Melissa McKnight, Matt dated actress Teri Copley.
The pair had begun dating around 1989. Matt was only 22 then. Before ending their relationship in 1990, the couple attended several public events together.
After Teri Copley, LeBlanc started spending time with 16-year-old Kate Hudson in 1996. Several tabloids leaked a picture of the pair chatting and kissing in a bar during that time. It became quite a controversial topic as Hudson was still a minor.
The couple did confirm their relationship after the controversial fiasco. But, LeBlanc and Hudson decided to split a few months after the announcement.
After a year, sources suggested that Matt went on to build a relationship with Sheila Kennedy. The pair first met on the ‘Friends’ set. Sheila made a guest appearance as a stripper for an episode.
While talking about her experience in the set of ‘Friends’ to the Sun, Kennedy stated,
“Matthew Perry, who was Chandler in Friends, and Matt were both hitting on me at the wrap party. But Matt was more aggressive, and Matthew stepped aside because they are terrific friends.”
During the interview, Sheila also confessed that LeBlanc invited her to his dressing room lit with candles. She said,
“We talked, and there was music, and the couch was big. Matt has been with some very hot women, and I had fun with him. The sex was good or as good as you could get on a couch.”
Despite Sheila’s hook up the confession, the pair never officially confirmed their relationship.
His relationship with ex-wife Melissa McKnight
Matt LeBlanc and former model Melissa McKnight met for the first time through their mutual friends. Lou Diamond Philips and his wife Kelly Philips introduced them to each other in 1997. According to sources, the pair had fallen for each other at first sight and had started dating soon after.
LeBlanc and McKnight officially exchanged rings after a year of dating in 1998. The pair, however, tied the knot after five years of being engaged in May 2003. While it was Matt’s first marriage, Melissa was previously married to Anthony Esposito.
The wedding ceremony took place on an oceanfront bluff in Kauai, Hawaii. More than 150 guests watched the lovely couple tie the knot. Some of the guests included Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, and Courtney Cox.
After their marriage, the couple went on to settle in Encino, California. A year later, in 2004, LeBlanc and McKnight welcomed their daughter, Marina. However, the pair’s relationship started to fall apart when their daughter got diagnosed with a brain disease.
In 2005, Matt admitted that he had an encounter with Canadian lap dancer Stephanie Stephen. It led to a severe strain in his relationship with his ex-wife.
And the couple finally to end their relationship publicly in 2006. Matt and Melissa admitted that the split’s main reason was due to irreconcilable differences. However, several sources reported that the actual cause was Matt’s womanizing habits.
Regardless of their differences, the pair decided to share the custody of their daughter, Marina. The couple ended their marriage without hiring a lawyer in an amicable atmosphere.
Relationships after Melissa McKnight
After the end of his marriage, LeBlanc started to date his co-star Andrea Anders from the TV series ‘Joey.’ According to sources, the pair were dating even before Matt ended his relationship with Melissa. Many also believed that his affair with Andrea was the reason for his separation from his ex-wife.
Matt and Andrea’s relationship went public in the same year he divorced Melissa in 2006. The pair dated for ten years before they decided to end their relationship in 2015.
The ending of the couple’s relationship came as a shock to most of their fans. Matt’s relationship with Andrea was one of his rare long-lasting relationships. In 2016, Matt built a relationship with his current girlfriend, Aurora Mulligan.
The pair had first met on the sets of ‘Top Gear’ and have been inseparable ever since. Aurora played a bride’s cameo role. Matt’s character had crashed the bride’s wedding at the cathedral.
Since their first meet, people have seen the couple together on numerous occasions. In 2017, Matt even confirmed the pair’s relationship when he called Aurora “honey” on ‘The Late Late Show.’
Matt had posted a picture of him and Aurora outside his dressing room and captioned the photo:
“I’m going to be on tonight, and my honey came to support me. How nice.”
Apart from the relationships mentioned above, the Sun once reported other names previously connected to Matt. The public was generally unaware of these connections. Some of those names included Tonya Poole, Gabrielle Reece, Jenna Jameson, Minnie Driver, and Jennifer Aniston.
Matt LeBlanc’s Daughter: Marina Pearl LeBlanc
Matt LeBlanc’s daughter Marina Pearl LeBlanc was born on February 8th, 2004, in California, USA. Marina got diagnosed with a form of cortical dysplasia when she was only 11 months old.
Cortical dysplasia is a condition that severely affects a patient’s brain, bone, and motor skills. According to medical sources, the disease occurs before a child’s birth when developing brain cells or neurons fail to reach the brain’s required parts. Due to such an issue, the brain lacks the need for neural connections to function correctly.
The condition affected the left side of her brain, leading her to suffer from seizures. It even stopped her ability to crawl and walk.
Marina’s health took a significant toll on her father’s mental health. It even led Matt to break from his career. Matt told Telegraph UK,
“I didn’t feel like being funny. I had a lot going on in my personal life.”
In an interview with The Mirror, Matt even acknowledged his troubling times. He said,
“My daughter was diagnosed with a problem with her head. It was a very dark period. But I went through it. Don’t they say what doesn’t kill us make us stronger?”
During his break, Matt moved to Santa Barbra cattle ranch where his daughter and his then-wife were residing. The actor loved his daughter to bits. He devoted his free time to his daughter and helped her with her condition.
Today, Marina has outgrown her brain condition and is living a happy and healthy life. Although her parents got divorced, she occasionally spends time with her father.
Matt tries his best to be a better father than what he remembers of his father. Although he did not have a father figure growing up, he understood fatherhood’s power when Marina was born.
Despite his fame, Matt rarely makes an appearance at parties like he used to. He prefers staying home with his daughter.
He said,
“We make breakfast, go horseback riding, hiking, I try to offset this computer age kid thing that’s going on now with as much time outside.”
It clearly shows that Matt tries his best to keep his bond intact with his daughter.
Matt LeBlanc: Career
LeBlanc had first planned to study building construction technology to become a carpenter. But, he had a bigger plan on the back of his head, which he finally decided to pursue after a semester in college. In 1984, at age 17, LeBlanc moved to New York City from Massachusetts to pursue a modeling career.
Matt’s actual plan was to pursue a modeling career. But, he moved to act as he got rejected for being too short. He began his career with commercials for companies like Heinz Ketchup, Levi’s Jeans, and Doritos.
In 1988, Matt acquired several small roles in television and music videos. He first appeared in a TV drama called ‘TV 101.’ In 1991, he played a recurring role in a sitcom called ‘Married … with Children.’
Likewise, he starred as a guest in a show called ‘Red Shoe Diaries.’ Matt appeared in small roles in spin-offs like ‘Top of the Heap’ and ‘Vinnie & Bobby’ in 1992.
LeBlanc also appeared in various music videos. He starred in music videos of artists like Bon Jovi, Alanis Morissette, Tom Petty, and the Heartbreakers, and Bob Serger.
Despite his small roles in television sitcoms and music videos, Matt’s acting career was going downhill. He struggled to find better work in the industry.
His struggles led him to move to smaller apartments in Los Angeles. Sources said that he only had $11 when he got offered his breakthrough role in ‘Friends’ in 1994.
Matt’s role as Joe Tribbiani in ‘Friends’ finally led him to the success that he deserved in the industry. He could not even buy himself a hot meal to celebrate with his first paycheck from the hit sitcom.
‘Friends,’ a sitcom focused on six friends’ life, gained significant recognition from the viewers. It also received several awards throughout its seasons for ten years.
Matt also got recognized individually for his outstanding performance. He received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations, three Golden Globes award nominations, and one Screen Actors Guild nomination. These nominations were solely the character, Joey.
In an interview with Boston Globe, while talking about his career, Matt said,
“It blows my mind, it’s like somebody strapped a jet pack on my back and lit the fuse, and off I went.”
After earning a significant amount of money through the sitcom, Matt bought a home for his mother.
Since ‘Friends,’ Matt appeared in lead roles for movies like ‘Lookin’ Italian,’ ‘Ed,’ ‘Lost in Space,’ and ‘Charlie’s Angeles.’ Furthermore, the popularity of his role as Joey even caused the creators of ‘Friends’ to develop a spin-off solely for LeBlanc’s character. However, the show did not do as well as expected, causing the creators to cancel the show after two seasons.
The failure of ‘Joey,’ his marriage issues, and his daughter’s sickness led Matt to take a one-year hiatus from his acting career. However, the one-year suspension turned to five years.
In an interview with The Mirror, he said,
“For years and years, I barely left the house. I was burnt out and wanted not to have a schedule. My agent was bummed. Most actors call their agents and say, ‘What’s going on?’ I’d call mine and say, ‘Please lose my number for a few years.’ It was a very dark time.”
However, Matt LeBlanc eventually fought through his struggle. He made a comeback with a fictional version of himself in a television series called ‘Episodes.’
‘Episodes’ is a British-American television series written by the co-creator of ‘Friends.’ It looks at the lives of British TV producers who move to Hollywood to export their popular series, only to find out that it was not what they had expected.
The first season of the series aired around 2011 and ended in 2017 with its fifth season. Like ‘Friends,’ LeBlanc also got recognized for his role in ‘Episodes.’
Matt LeBlanc won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a television series, musical, or comedy. He also received four nominations for Primetime Emmy Awards for his role in ‘Episodes.’
Along with ‘Episodes,’ Matt also appeared in ‘Top Gear’ in 2012. And in 2016, Matt announced that he would be co-hosting ‘Top Gear’ and playing a lead role in the CBS sitcom ‘Man with a Plan.’
Matt co-hosted the ‘Top Gear’ for three years, and in 2019, he announced that he was retiring from the show. He stated that working for the TV show required him to commit more of his time than he had imagined. Because of the show, he was not able to spend much time with his friends and family.
Likewise, Matt’s sitcom ‘Man with a Plan’ started to air in 2016. Jackie Filgo and Jeff Filgo were the creators of the sitcom. Apart from being the show’s actor, Matt was also the executive producer for the series.
‘Man with a Plan’ is about a dad named Adam Burns, played by Matt, who has to take care of his children after his wife goes back to work. The sitcom, unfortunately, got canceled in 2020 after airing its fourth season.
Apart from having an acting career, Matt also works behind the scenes. He possesses his own production company called ‘Fort Hill Production.’ Through the company, he co-produced a TV movie called ‘The Prince’ in 2006.
Matt LeBlanc: List of works
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1987 | Doll Day Afternoon | GI Joe | Short Film |
| 1988-1989 | TV 101 | Chuck Bender | Television series |
| 1989 | Just the Ten of Us | Todd Murphy | Television series |
| 1990 | Anything to Survive | Billy Burton | Television movie |
| 1990 | Jon Bon Jovi: Miracle | Friend | Music Video |
| 1990 | Monsters | Tommy | Episode: “Shave and a Haircut, Two Bites” |
| 1991 | Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Into the Great Wide Open | Young man | Music Video |
| 1991 | Top of the Heap | Vinnie Verducci | Television series |
| 1991 | Married … with Children | Vinnie Verducci | Television series (4 episodes) |
| 1992-1993 | Vinnie & Bobby | Vinnie Verducci | Television series |
| 1992-1993 | Red Shoe Diaries | Jed Cody/ Kyle | Television series (2 episodes) |
| 1993 | Class of ‘96 | Frank Goodman | Television series episode: “Bright Smoke, Cold Fire.” |
| 1993 | Grey Knight | Terhune | Film |
| 1994 | Lookin’ Italian | Anthony Manetti | Film |
| 1994 | Reform School Girl | Vince | Television movie |
| 1994-2004 | Friends | Joey Tribbiani | Television Series |
| 1995 | Friends | Joey Tribbiani | Music Video |
| 1996 | Ed | Jack Deuce Cooper | Film |
| 1997 | Red Shoe Diaries 7: Burning Up | Jed | Film |
| 1998 | Lost in Space | Major Don West | Film |
| 2000 | Bon Jovi: Say It Isn’t So | Film | |
| 2000 | Charlie’s Angels | Jason Gibbs | Film |
| 2001 | All the Queen’s Men | O’Rourke | Film |
| 2003 | Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle | Jason Gibbs | Film |
| 2004-2006 | Joey | Joey Tribbiani | Television series |
| 2010 | Jonah Hex | Executive Producer | Film |
| 2011-2017 | Episodes | Matt LeBlanc (Himself) | Television series |
| 2012 | Top Gear | Himself | Television series (1 episode) |
| 2013 | Web Therapy | Nick Jericho | Web series |
| 2014 | Lovesick | Charlie Darby | Film |
| 2015 | The Prince | Producer | Television movie |
| 2016-2019 | Top Gear | Himself (host) | A television show (24 episodes) |
| 2016-2020 | Man with a Plan | Adam Burns | Television series |
| 2020 | The One Where They Got Back Together | Himself | Television series |
Matt LeBlanc: List of Awards and Recognition
| Year | Association | Award | Nominated work | Result |
| 1996 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Friends | Won |
| 1996 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Friends | Nominated |
| 1997 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Ensembles in a Comedy Series | Friends | Won |
| 1998 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Ensembles in a Comedy Series | Friends | Nominated |
| 1999 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Ensembles in a Comedy Series | Friends | Nominated |
| 2000 | American Comedy Awards | Funniest Supporting Male Performer in a Television Series | Friends | Nominated |
| 2000 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Ensembles in a Comedy Series | Friends | Nominated |
| 2000 | TV Guide Awards | Editor’s Choice Award | Friends | Won |
| 2001 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Friends | Nominated |
| 2001 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Ensembles in a Comedy Series | Friends | Nominated |
| 2002 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Friends | Nominated |
| 2002 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Friends | Nominated |
| 2002 | Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards | Favorite Television Actor | Friends | Nominated |
| 2002 | Television Critics Association Awards | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Comedy | Friends | Nominated |
| 2002 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Actor – Comedy | Friends | Won |
| 2003 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series | Friends | Nominated |
| 2003 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Friends | Nominated |
| 2003 | Satellite Awards | Best Lead Actor in a Series – Comedy or Musical | Friends | Nominated |
| 2003 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Actor – Comedy | Friends | Nominated |
| 2004 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Friends | Nominated |
| 2004 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy | Friends | Nominated |
| 2004 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Musical or Comedy | Friends | Nominated |
| 2004 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Actor – Comedy | Friends | Nominated |
| 2005 | Golden Globes Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy | Joey | Nominated |
| 2005 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Actor – Comedy | Joey | Nominated |
| 2005 | People’s Choice Awards | Favorite Male Television Star | Won | |
| 2011 | Satellite Awards | Best Lead Actor in a Series – Comedy or Musical | Episodes | Nominated |
| 2011 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Best Lead Actor in a Series – Comedy or Musical | Episodes | Nominated |
| 2012 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy | Episodes | Won |
| 2013 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy | Episodes | Nominated |
| 2013 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy | Episodes | Nominated |
| 2014 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Episodes | Nominated |
| 2015 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Episodes | Nominated |
| 2017 | People’s Choice Awards | Favorite Actor in New TV Series | Man with a Plan | Won |
Matt LeBlanc: Who was the highest-paid actor in Friends?
Matt LeBlanc was the highest-paid actor among the casts in ‘Friends.’ Independent UK reported that Matt earned $130,000 annually by playing Joey’s character. According to the source, it was because he had landed his own feature spin-off ‘Joey,’ after the show ended.
Matt LeBlanc: Do the Friends cast still get paid?
‘Friends’ is undoubtedly one of the most beloved sitcoms to date. Due to the fans’ continued support, the show’s cast can still make significant profits through the show. According to USA Today, the show’s studio Warner Bros earns $1 billion a year by leasing its administrative rights to other television programs.
All six casts of the show earn two percent from the show’s syndication revenue. So, the cast, including LeBlanc, makes $20 million each through the show’s reruns.
Matt LeBlanc: Net Worth
Matt LeBlanc’s net worth stands around $80 million. He earned it by starring in his hit sitcom ‘Friends’ and many other television sitcoms and movies.
Likewise, after his divorce, Matt sold his house for $9 million. Then bought himself an apartment worth $7.9 million.
Matt has a car racing hobby. He owns several posh cars like Porsche 911 GT2 RS, Ferrari 360 Modena, Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG, Fiat X1/9, Porsche 911 Turo and a Bulldozer – Caterpillar D6M XL.
Matt LeBlanc: Social media
Matt LeBlanc owns an Instagram, Facebook, and a Twitter account.
His Twitter account is under the username @Matt-LeBlanc. He has more than 52 thousand followers.
Likewise, his Instagram account is under the username @mleblanc, with 6.8 million followers. And his Facebook account is under the username @MattLeBlancOffical. He has about 4 million followers on his Facebook account.
Matt mainly uses his account to promote his projects and post behind the scenes photos of his shoots.
Matt LeBlanc: What is Matt LeBlanc doing now?
Matt LeBlanc’s recent sitcom ‘Man with a plan’ aired its last episode on June 11th, 2020. Apart from this CBS sitcom, the actor has not announced new projects yet.
However, we assume that it is mainly due to the pandemic. Fans are hopeful that they will see Matt in new movies or, even better, a new television sitcom soon.
Matt LeBlanc: Quick Facts
| Full name: | Matthew Steven LeBlanc |
| Nickname: | Matty |
| Profession: | Actor/Comedian/Producer/Presenter |
| Date of birth: | July 25th, 1967 |
| Birthplace: | Newton, Massachusetts, United States |
| Sun sign: | Leo |
| Nationality: | American |
| High school: | Newton North High School |
| College: | Wentworth Institute of Technology – One Semester |
| Father: | Paul LeBlanc |
| Mother: | Patricia Di Collo |
| Ethnicity: | Italian/French/Canadian |
| Height: | 5’9 inch (1.77 m) |
| Weight: | 77 Kg (169 lbs) |
| Body measurement: | 42-34-14 inches |
| Eye color: | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color: | Dark Brown |
| Affairs/ Girlfriends: | Teri Copley (1989-1990)
Kate Hudson (1996) Sheila Kennedy (1998) Missy McKnight (2003-2006) Andrea Anders (2005-2014) Aurora Mulligan (2016-present) |
| Ex-wife: | Missy McKnight |
| Marital Status: | Divorced |
| Daughter: | Marina Pearl LeBlanc |
| Fan Mail Address: | Matt LeBlanc
William Morris Endeavor Entertainment 9601 Wilshire Blvd, 3rd Floor Beverly Hills, CA 90210-5213 USA. |
| Hobbies: | Parachute jumping/Car racing/Photography |