Matt LeBlanc

Matt LeBlanc is an American actor best known for his iconic role as Joey Tribbiani on the hit NBC sitcom Friends, a character he inhabited for twelve years across ten seasons and a subsequent spin‑off, Joey. Born on July 25, 1967, in Newton, Massachusetts, he grew up in a family with French‑Canadian and Italian heritage; his mother Patricia worked as an office manager while his father Paul, a Vietnam‑era mechanic, instilled a strong work ethic. After briefly attending Wentworth Institute of Technology, LeBlanc moved to New York at seventeen to chase a modeling career, only to be redirected toward acting when a chance invitation to an audition led to his first commercial for Heinz Tomato Ketchup in 1987. Early television credits include a stint on TV 101, a recurring role on Married… with Children, and appearances in music videos for Bon Jovi and Alanis Morissette, laying the groundwork for his breakthrough. The success of Friends earned LeBlanc three Emmy nominations, three Golden Globe nods, and a Screen Actors Guild nod, cementing his place in pop culture. Following the cancellation of Joey in 2006, he stepped back from television for several years before returning with a critically acclaimed performance as a fictionalized version of himself in the BBC/Showtime series Episodes (2011‑2017), which garnered a Golden Globe win and four additional Emmy nominations. His charm and love of automobiles led to a co‑hosting role on the British motoring show Top Gear from 2016 to 2019, where he set a record lap time in the “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” segment. From 2016 to 2020 he starred as patriarch Adam Burns in the CBS sitcom Man with a Plan, further demonstrating his comedic timing. Outside of work, LeBlanc's personal life includes a marriage to model Melissa McKnight (2003‑2006) and the birth of their daughter in 2004; he has remained active in film and television, known for his affable personality, dedication to craft, and enduring appeal to audiences worldwide.