Matt LeBlanc facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matt LeBlanc
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LeBlanc in 2013
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Matthew Steven LeBlanc
July 25, 1967 Newton, Massachusetts, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Known for | |
| Spouse(s) |
Melissa McKnight
(m. 2003; div. 2006) |
| Partner(s) | Andrea Anders (2006–2014) |
| Children | 1 |
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Matthew Steven LeBlanc (born July 25, 1967) is a famous American actor. He became known worldwide for playing Joey Tribbiani in the TV show Friends. He also starred in its spin-off series, Joey. For his role in Friends, LeBlanc was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards. He later played a funny version of himself in the show Episodes. For this role, he won a Golden Globe Award. He also co-hosted the popular car show Top Gear from 2016 to 2019. From 2016 to 2020, he played Adam Burns in the CBS sitcom Man with a Plan.
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Early Life and First Steps
Matthew Steven LeBlanc was born in Newton, Massachusetts. His mother, Patricia, was an office manager. His father, Paul LeBlanc, was a mechanic. Matt has a brother named Justin. His family background includes French-Canadian and Italian roots. He went to Newton North High School. After high school, he briefly attended Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston.
LeBlanc moved to New York when he was 17. He wanted to try modeling, but he was told he was too short. His acting career started when a woman invited him to an audition. He ended up getting signed by her manager. Before landing the role in Friends, he was almost out of money. He reportedly had only eleven dollars left.
Becoming an Actor
Starting Out: 1987–1994
Matt LeBlanc's first TV appearance was in a Heinz Tomato Ketchup commercial in 1987. In 1988, he starred in the TV drama TV 101. In 1991, he had a recurring role on the hit show Married... with Children. He played Vinnie Verducci, a friend of the main character, Al Bundy. Vinnie briefly dated Al's daughter, Kelly.
LeBlanc also appeared in two short-lived spin-offs of Married... with Children. These were Top of the Heap (1991) and Vinnie & Bobby (1992). He also guest-starred in the first season of Red Shoe Diaries.
He appeared in music videos for famous bands. These included two Bon Jovi videos: "Miracle" (1990) and "Say It Isn't So" (2000). He also appeared in videos for Alanis Morissette, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and Bob Seger.
Friends and Beyond: 1994–2006
LeBlanc became very famous as the kind-hearted but not-so-smart Joey Tribbiani on Friends. He played this character for 12 years. This included 10 seasons of Friends and two seasons of the spin-off show Joey. Friends was a huge success for NBC. It aired on Thursday nights for ten years.
For his role as Joey, LeBlanc received many awards nominations. He was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards. He also received three Golden Globe award nominations. During this time, he also acted in several movies. These films included Ed (1996) and Lost in Space (1998). He also appeared in Charlie's Angels (2000) and its sequel, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003).
After Joey ended, LeBlanc took a break from acting on TV. This break lasted for five years.
Return to TV: 2011–Present
In 2011, LeBlanc returned to TV in the show Episodes. In this show, he played a funny, fictional version of himself. The series was created by David Crane, who also co-created Friends. LeBlanc was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award four times for this role. In 2012, he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a TV series.
LeBlanc also showed his love for cars on Top Gear. In 2012, he set the fastest lap time in the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" segment. He drove a Kia Cee'd and beat the previous record. He later beat his own time in a newer Kia Cee'd.
In 2016, the BBC announced that LeBlanc would become one of the new Top Gear hosts. He signed a two-year deal. In 2018, he announced he was leaving the show. He wanted to spend more time with his family and friends in the US. He was replaced by new co-hosts in 2019.
LeBlanc also starred in the CBS sitcom Man with a Plan. This show started in 2016 and ended in 2020.
Personal Life
Matt LeBlanc has a strong interest in cars. Before he became an actor, he worked as a carpenter. He married Melissa McKnight in May 2003. Melissa was a model and a mother of two children. They had a daughter together in 2004. LeBlanc and McKnight divorced in October 2006.
LeBlanc later met actress Andrea Anders in 2004. She was his co-star on the show Joey. They started a relationship in 2006. They separated in 2015 after being together for over eight years.
LeBlanc started getting gray hair during the second season of Friends. He dyed his hair throughout the show's run. After the spin-off series Joey ended, he stopped dyeing his hair. He mainly lives in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles.
Images for kids
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Matt LeBlanc's signature
See also
In Spanish: Matt LeBlanc para niños
