Joey Tribbiani

Background:

"The more cynical you become, the better off you'll be." Matt LeBlanc

Matt LeBlanc is widely recognized for playing character Joey Tribbiani in the hit NBC sitcom “Friends” (1994-2004). He also had appeared in the films Ed (1996), Lost in Space (1998), Lookin' Italian (1998), All the Queen's Men (2001) and the Charlie's Angels films (2000, 2003). He is currently starring in his own sitcom, “Joey,” a spin-off of the acclaimed series “Friends.”

The 5' 11" tall actor, who is of French, Irish, Italian, Dutch and English heritage, was listed on People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People” in 2000. As for his private life, LeBlanc is currently the husband of Melissa McKnight.

Matty

Childhood and Family:

On July 25, 1967, Matthew LeBlanc was born in Newton, Massachusetts, to a mechanic father and an Italian-immigrant mother named Pat Grossman (makes circuit boards). Matt also has a half brother named Justin who lives in Australia.

Matt LeBlanc, nicknamed Matty, attended Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts, and went to the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston for just over a semester. In November of 1998, he announced his engagement to Melissa McKnight and the couple later exchanged wedding vows on May 3, 2003, in Hawaii. Matt and Melissa welcomed their first child on February 15, 2004, daughter Marina LeBlanc. Matt is also the stepfather of Tyler and Jacquelyne from his wife's first marriage.

Matt and his family currently reside in Los Angeles, along with his dog, Lady. During his off time, Matt enjoys his hobbies: parachute jumping, car racing and landscape photography.

All the Queen's Men

Career:

Initially dreaming of becoming a professional racer, then a carpenter, Matt LeBlanc eventually decided to pursue a career in modeling. 17-year-old LeBlanc moved to New York City and began appearing in commercials for Levi's, Coca Cola, Heinz Ketchup (won the prestigious Gold Lion Award at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival) and Doritos. He later tried his hand in acting and made his TV series debut in the teen drama "TV 101," playing character Chuck Bender (1988-1989), alongside Sam Robards. He also appeared as a guest in two episodes of the family comedy show "Just the Ten of Us" (starring Bill Kirchenbauer) and an episode of the horror show "Monsters."

LeBlanc made his first TV movie, alongside Robert Conrad, in Zale Dalen's screen version of Elmo Wortman's book, the adventure Anything to Survive (1990). After playing the reoccurring role of Vinnie Verducci in "Married... with Children," LeBlanc reprised his role on the sitcom spin-off, the Fox’s brief running "Top of the Heap" (1991) and its re-tooled continuation, "Vinnie & Bobby" (1992).

In the George Hickenlooper-directed horror war movie The Killing Box (1993, a.k.a. Ghost Brigade, Grey Knight), LeBlanc made his first big screen appearance with the small role of Terhune, alongside Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Sheen. He could also be seen in two Showtime "Rebel Highway" movies, John Milius’ Motorcycle Gang and Jonathan Kaplan’s remake of the 1957 film, Reform School Girl (playing delinquent Vince, alongside Aimee Graham).

1994 was LeBlanc’s breakout year. He won the regular role of aspiring actor Joey Tribbiani in the hit NBC sitcom, "Friends." The show, created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, tells of the lives of six young friends living in Manhattan. It was warmly-received and LeBlanc, along with other cast members Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer, stayed on the wildly popular show for 10 years (1994-2004).

During his stint in the long-running series, LeBlanc also starred as pitcher Jack 'Deuce' Cooper, whose roommate is a chimpanzee named Ed, in the baseball comedy directed by Bill Couturié's, Ed (1996). Two years later, he shared the screen with William Hurt, Mimi Rogers, Lacey Chabert, Gary Oldman, Heather Graham and Jack Johnson in Stephen Hopkins' sci-fi movie Lost in Space (1998), playing Major Don West. Writer-director Guy Magar later cast him to portray Jay Acovone's nephew in his drama film Lookin' Italian (1998, a.k.a. Showdown).

The new millennium saw LeBlanc play an unaccredited cameo role as Lucy Liu's love interest in McG's adaptation of the TV series Charlie's Angels (also starring Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore). LeBlanc later reappeared in its 2003 installment, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. Director Stefan Ruzowitzky also handed him the lead role O'Rourke in the drama comedy All the Queen's Men (2001, screened at the Mill Valley Film Festival).

As for his gig in “Friends,” LeBlanc earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical (2002 and 2003) and a SAG nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series (2002). The series’ final episode was aired on May 10, 2004, and was watched by an estimated 51.1 million people in the US. Afterward, LeBlanc starred in his own sitcom titled "Joey," a spin-off from “Friends,” which circles around his character Joey Tribbiani moving to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career.

"I really like the half hour comedy. I really do. I know people that are in movies all the time and they, you know, they don't see their families as much. And that takes its toll over time. And I don't want to be one of those families. I want to sleep in my own bed every night. I want to, you know, help the kids with homework. And I like that. That's fun." Matt LeBlanc

Awards:

• Teen Choice: TV - Choice Actor - Comedy, “Friends,” 2002

• TV Guide: Editor's Choice, 2000