Matthew Steven LeBlanc (; born July 25, 1967) is an American actor. He garnered global recognition with his portrayal of
Joey Tribbiani
Joseph Francis "Joey" Tribbiani Jr. is a fictional character, serving as one of the primary characters of the NBC sitcom ''Friends'' and the protagonist of its spin-off ''Joey (TV series), Joey''. He is portrayed by Matt LeBlanc in both series.
...
in the
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
sitcom ''
Friends
''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa ...
'' and in its
spin-off series, ''
Joey
Joey may refer to:
People
*Joey (name)
Animals
* Joey (marsupial), an infant marsupial
* Joey, a Blue-fronted Amazon parrot who was one of the Blue Peter pets
Film and television
* ''Joey'' (1977 film), an American film directed by Horac ...
''. For his work on ''Friends'', LeBlanc received three nominations at the
Primetime Emmy Awards
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
. He has also starred as a fictionalized version of himself in ''
Episodes
Episodes may refer to:
* Episode
An episode is a narrative unit within a larger dramatic work or documentary production, such as a series intended for radio, television or streaming consumption.
The noun ''episode'' is derived from the Greek ...
'' (2011–2017), for which he won a
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
and received four additional Emmy Award nominations. He co-hosted
''Top Gear'' from 2016 to 2019. From 2016 to 2020, he played patriarch Adam Burns in the CBS sitcom ''
Man with a Plan.''
Early life
LeBlanc was born in
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is approximately west of downtown Boston. Newton resembles a patchwork of thirteen villages, without a city center. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the population of Ne ...
. His mother, Patricia (née Di Cillo), was an office manager; his father, Paul LeBlanc, was a mechanic. His father is of French-Canadian descent and his mother is of Italian ancestry. He attended
Newton North High School
Newton North High School, formerly Newton High School, is the larger and longer-established of two public high schools in Newton, Massachusetts, the other being Newton South High School. It is located in the village of Newtonville. The school f ...
, where he graduated in the same year as future comedian
Louis C.K.
Louis Alfred Székely (; born September 12, 1967), known professionally as Louis C.K. (), is an American stand-up comedian, screenwriter, actor, and filmmaker. C.K. won three Peabody Awards, three Grammy Awards, six Primetime Emmy Awards, and a ...
After high school he attended college at
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Wentworth Institute of Technology (WIT) is a private institute of technology in Boston, Massachusetts. Wentworth was founded in 1904 and offers career-focused education through 21 bachelor's degree programs as well as 13 master's degrees.
Histo ...
in Boston. He dropped out shortly after starting his second semester.
LeBlanc moved to New York at the age of 17 to pursue a career in modeling, but he was told he was too short to be in the industry. His acting career began after a woman invited him to accompany her to an audition, where he ended up getting signed by her manager. Although he had booked commercials and television and film roles before ''Friends'', he was reportedly down to his last eleven dollars before landing the role of Joey Tribbiani.
Career
1987–1994: Early career
![Matt Le Blanc](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Matt_Le_Blanc.jpg)
LeBlanc first appeared in a 1987
Heinz Tomato Ketchup
Heinz Tomato Ketchup is a brand of ketchup manufactured by the H. J. Heinz Company, a division of the Kraft Heinz Company.
History
It was first marketed as "catsup" in 1876 In 1907, manufacturing reached 12 million bottles and it was export ...
commercial. In 1988, he starred in the television drama ''
TV 101
''TV 101'' is an American drama television series that aired on CBS from November 29, 1988 until March 25, 1989. The series stars Sam Robards, Brynn Thayer, Leon Russom and Andrew Cassese. Other notable cast members include Stacey Dash, Teri Pol ...
'' for one season. In 1991, he had a recurring role on the hit
Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
sitcom ''
Married... with Children''. He played Vinnie Verducci, a family friend of protagonist
Al Bundy
Al Bundy is a fictional character and the protagonist of the American television series '' Married... with Children''.
Played by Ed O'Neill, Bundy is a misanthropic, working-class father of two who is portrayed as a somewhat tragicomedic fig ...
(
Ed O'Neill
Edward Leonard O'Neill (born April 12, 1946) is an American actor and comedian. His roles include Al Bundy on the Fox Network sitcom '' Married... with Children'', for which he was nominated for two Golden Globes, and Jay Pritchett on the a ...
) who briefly dates his daughter,
Kelly
Kelly may refer to:
Art and entertainment
* Kelly (Kelly Price album)
* Kelly (Andrea Faustini album)
* ''Kelly'' (musical), a 1965 musical by Mark Charlap
* "Kelly" (song), a 2018 single by Kelly Rowland
* ''Kelly'' (film), a 1981 Canadi ...
(
Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate (born November 25, 1971) is an American actress. As a child actress, she gained recognition for starring as Kelly Bundy in the Fox sitcom '' Married... with Children'' (1987–1997). Applegate established a successful film a ...
). He also guest-starred in the first season of ''
Red Shoe Diaries
''Red Shoe Diaries'' is an American anthology erotic drama series that aired on Showtime cable network from 1992 to 1997 and distributed by Playboy Entertainment overseas. It is a spinoff of an earlier film by the same name, also directed by Za ...
''. LeBlanc went on to star in two short-lived ''Married... with Children'' spin-offs: ''
Top of the Heap
''Top of the Heap'' is an American sitcom that ran for seven episodes on Fox from April 7 until May 19, 1991, the most successful of three attempted spin-offs of '' Married... with Children'' (the other two being '' Radio Free Trumaine'' and '' ...
'' (1991) and ''
Vinnie & Bobby
''Vinnie & Bobby'' is an American television sitcom that aired on Fox from May 30 to September 5, 1992. The series is a spin-off of the 1991 sitcom '' Top of the Heap'', which was itself a spin-off of '' Married... with Children''. Series star ...
'' (1992).
He appeared in two
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. It consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald (American musician), Hugh McD ...
music videos: "
Miracle
A miracle is an event that is inexplicable by natural or scientific lawsOne dictionary define"Miracle"as: "A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divin ...
," from the ''
Young Guns II
''Young Guns II'' is a 1990 American Western film and a sequel to '' Young Guns'' (1988). It stars Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Christian Slater, and features William Petersen as Pat Garrett. It was written by Jo ...
'' soundtrack in 1990, and "
Say It Isn't So" in 2000. He also appeared in videos for
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting, Morissette began her career in Canada in the early 1990s with tw ...
's single "
Walk Away," and
Bob Seger
Robert Clark Seger ( ; born May 6, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and The Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s, break ...
's "
Night Moves".
1994–2004: ''Friends''
LeBlanc found success as the dimwitted but lovable
Joey Tribbiani
Joseph Francis "Joey" Tribbiani Jr. is a fictional character, serving as one of the primary characters of the NBC sitcom ''Friends'' and the protagonist of its spin-off ''Joey (TV series), Joey''. He is portrayed by Matt LeBlanc in both series.
...
on ''
Friends
''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa ...
''; he played this character for 12 years — 10 seasons of ''Friends'' and two seasons of
''Joey''. ''Friends'' was wildly successful, and LeBlanc (along with co-stars
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress and film producer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Since her career ...
,
Courteney Cox-Arquette
Courteney Bass Cox (previously Courteney Cox Arquette; born June 15, 1964) is an American actress and filmmaker. She gained international recognition for her starring role as Monica Geller on the NBC sitcom ''Friends'', which aired from 1994 t ...
,
Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Valerie Kudrow ( ; born July 30, 1963) is an American actress, producer, and screenwriter. She rose to fame for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the sitcom ''Friends'' (1994–2004), which has since been named one of the greatest television cha ...
,
Matthew Perry
Matthew Langford Perry (born August 19, 1969) is an American-Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom ''Friends'' (1994–2004).
As well as starring in the short-lived television series '' St ...
, and
David Schwimmer
David Lawrence Schwimmer (born November 2, 1966) is an American actor, director and producer. He gained worldwide recognition for portraying Ross Geller in the sitcom '' Friends'', for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Prime ...
) gained wide recognition among viewers. This ensemble situation comedy became a major hit for NBC, airing on Thursday nights for ten years.
For his performance, LeBlanc received three
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
nominations, three
Golden Globe award nominations, and one
Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. During this time he also appeared in the films ''
Lookin' Italian
Lookin' Italian is a 1994 American crime film directed by Guy Magar and starring Jay Acovone and Matt LeBlanc.
Synopsis
Vinny Pallazzo (Jay Acovone) is a retired gangster who has left the mafia after a disastrous incident. Now working as a cl ...
'' (1994), ''
Ed'' (1996), ''
Lost in Space
''Lost in Space'' is an American science fiction television series, created and produced by Irwin Allen, which originally aired between 1965 and 1968 on CBS. The series was inspired by the 1812 novel ''The Swiss Family Robinson.'' The series fo ...
'' (1998), ''
Charlie's Angels
''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, producing five seasons and 115 episodes. The series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by Aa ...
'' (2000), and its sequel, ''
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle'' (2003).
2006–2011: Hiatus
Following the cancellation of ''
Joey
Joey may refer to:
People
*Joey (name)
Animals
* Joey (marsupial), an infant marsupial
* Joey, a Blue-fronted Amazon parrot who was one of the Blue Peter pets
Film and television
* ''Joey'' (1977 film), an American film directed by Horac ...
'', Matt LeBlanc announced that he would be taking a one-year hiatus from acting on television, which eventually turned into five years.
2011–present: Career revival
![LeBlanc and Meryl at 69th Annual Golden Globes Awards](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/LeBlanc_and_Meryl_at_69th_Annual_Golden_Globes_Awards.jpg)
From 2011, LeBlanc appeared as a fictionalized version of himself in
''Episodes'', a television series about an American remake of a fictional British television series. The series is written by ''Friends'' co-creator
David Crane and his partner
Jeffrey Klarik
Jeffrey Klarik is an American writer and producer. With his partner David Crane (producer), David Crane (co-creator of ''Friends''), Klarik co-created the award-winning BBC/Showtime (TV network), Showtime comedy ''Episodes (TV series), Episodes' ...
. At the
69th Golden Globe Awards
The 69th Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and television of 2011, were broadcast live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on January 15, 2012, by NBC. The host was Ricky Gervais, for the third consecutive year ...
in 2012, LeBlanc won the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a television series, musical, or comedy, and was nominated for an additional four
Primetime Emmy Awards
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
.
In February 2012, LeBlanc appeared in the second episode of the eighteenth series of
''Top Gear'', where he set the fastest lap time in the "
Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" segment in a
Kia Cee'd
The Kia Ceed (known as the Kia cee'd before 2018) is a compact car produced by the South Korean manufacturer Kia since 2006 exclusively for the European market. The Ceed was first unveiled on 28 September 2006 at the Paris Motor Show. In mid-2007, ...
. Lapping at 1:42.1, he beat the show's previous record-holder,
Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born 6 January 1955) is an English actor, comedian and writer. He played the title roles on the sitcoms '' Blackadder'' (1983–1989) and ''Mr. Bean'' (1990–1995), and the film series ''Johnny English'' (2003–201 ...
, by 0.1 seconds.
He also appeared in the fourth episode of the nineteenth season to race the New Kia Cee'd, and beat his previous time.
In February 2016, the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
announced LeBlanc had signed on to become one of the new ''Top Gear'' hosts, signing a two-year deal later that year.
He announced his decision to retire from the series in May 2018, having co-hosted it for three years. Despite the show being "great fun", he stated the "time commitment and extensive travel takes me away from my family and friends more than I'm comfortable with."
LeBlanc played the lead role in the
'', which began airing in 2016 until it was cancelled in 2020.
LeBlanc has an extensive interest in cars, and worked as a carpenter before acting. He married Melissa McKnight, a British-born American model and a divorced single mother of two children, in May 2003.
In 1997, they were introduced to each other by McKnight's friend, Kelly Phillips (wife of actor
). LeBlanc proposed to her a year later.
Their daughter, born in 2004, began suffering seizures at eight months old. By the time she was two years old, the condition, thought to be a form of
, had mostly subsided.
.
.