“I’d like to at the end of the day, be able to say that I did it all” – Matt LeBlanc on Hollywood.com
As the flirty, oversexed, but sweet Joey Tribbiani on “Friends,” Matt LeBlanc has been creating laughs for six years. Although Joey is the resident womanizer, he also has a sweet side, which attracts him to an endless string of women, and makes him all the more lovable to his friends. One thing Matt shares with Joey is that flirty look in his eyes, which along with his role on “Friends” has contributed to his sex symbol status.
LeBlanc was born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts, to parents Patricia (an office manager) and Paul (a mechanic). When he was eight, he rode his first motorcycle, and decided he wanted to make a career out of racing motorcycles. However, his mother quickly vetoed that idea, and urged him to train to become a carpenter.
Finally, after being encouraged by his friends, he moved to New York to seek a career in modeling. Instead, he ended up in numerous commercials, including a world famous spot for Heinz ketchup. After a while, he decided to take formal acting lessons, and quickly landed a part on a pilot entitled “TV 101.” More failed sitcoms followed, but LeBlanc was persistent. He did whatever he could to make money, until he auditioned for “Friends.” The show was an instant success, and he never had to worry about money or employment again. As soon as “Friends” became successful, LeBlanc, along with the rest of his costars, landed some impressive movie deals. He has since starred in films such as “Ed” and “Lost in Space.”
However, although movie stardom is tempting, LeBlanc and his costars are comfortable where they are, at least for now. “Friends” has had a successful run for six years, and the cast is still as excited about it as ever. All of its cast members, including LeBlanc, have mused about their real life friendship. At the end of “Friends’” fifth season, he told Entertainment Weekly, “The bond that we all have is this life-changing [show]. That keeps us together through it all.” He also commented on the amazing success of the show to Hollywood.com, explaining, “I think the secret to the show is that you have six uniquely different characters who all find a way to get along with one another and have a good chemistry with one another, and by being so uniquely different, I think that enables us to appeal to a really broad demographic…. The writing is I think among the best on television… we have really good communication with our producers… everyone can identify with one character or another.”
Additionally, LeBlanc says that he doesn’t get tired of playing Joey because he is constantly growing, and the writers are constantly adding new dimensions to the character. In fact, when LeBlanc first got the part, he suggested the writers change him a bit. Joey was originally written as a lot more obnoxious and well, kind of heartless. However, LeBlanc thought the character would work better if he had a softer side. He also told Entertainment Weekly, “I just didn't believe that the women would be friends with this guy who was so crass, self-centered, and hitting on them all the time. In having respect for them, he could grow as a character.”
Aside from his “Friends,” Matt is also extremely loyal to his mother. He still loves to visit home, and loves his mother’s cooking. In fact, when he started to make money on “Friends,” he bought his mom a house. Since the family had always lived in a small apartment with no money, his mother was happily surprised. He also has a dog that he loves to hang out with, and is engaged to model Melissa McKnight.
