“How you doin?” is the line that most people associate with actor Matt LeBlanc. The actor was one of the main characters in the iconic tv series “Friends,” for the ten seasons it aired.
Before gaining major recognition as “Joey” on the show, Matt was born in Newton, Massachusetts. Born in July of 1967, LeBlanc eventually graduated high school and attended Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. However, he dropped out shortly after beginning his second trimester. At the young age of 17, he decided to pack his bags and head to New York City to pursue a modeling and acting career.
In 1987, LeBlanc got his first little break starring in a Heinz Tomato Ketchup commercial. Shortly thereafter, in 1988, he starred in a season of “TV 101” and eventually won a Fox series called “Married… with Children.” With his career on the rise, LeBlanc landed the role of a lifetime in 1994 when he was cast as ‘Joey Tribbiani’ on ‘Friends’.
He would go on to star in the cult series for 12 years alongside famous actors such as Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer. During his time on the show, he was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe nominations, and one Screen Actors Guild nomination.
Having had a successful career, the star took a break in 2004 after welcoming a daughter into the world that same year. Shortly after her birth, LeBlanc and his then-wife, Melissa McKnight, were told their baby had cortical dysplasia, a condition that affects a person’s brain, bones and motor skills and causes seizures. Then the star decided to focus on his family and not on his fame.
In an interview with The Telegraph in 2014, LeBlanc said that 2004 was a difficult year for him. “I didn’t want to be funny.” “I had a lot going on in my private life. Fortunately, his daughter Marianna was much better within a few years of diagnosis and treatment. Unfortunately, the former nanny sold the story of the sick girl to the tabloids, which made life even more difficult for the family. “I had to hold back and think about my next move,” LeBlanc said. “If someone is messing with your child, that instinct is very hard to suppress. I chose wisely. No one got hurt,” he added.
In an interview with The Mirror in 2016, LeBlanc said: “It was a very dark period. But I got through it. Don’t they say that what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger?”
Only two years later, in 2006, the actor decided to completely retire from the world of celebrity. “I knew I wasn’t missing anything.” I had fun with the celebrity world. I had some fun. But there was nothing that could fulfill me. I mean, I have beer in the fridge at home,” LeBlanc said. The actor and his daughter spent time at his 1,200-acre ranch in Santa Barbara, where he was a full-time dad. He spent time riding with his daughter, cooking for her and watching her grow up.
“She’s a daddy’s girl.” He can wrap me around his little finger. I am powerless,” said the proud father. Speaking to The Mirror, he shared his once-in-a-lifetime time with his daughter. “Spending time with him is the best thing I’ve ever done.” We have a great relationship and this is the best thing in my life,” he said.
The star took great care of her daughter from the day she was born. “The moment I saw it, I was in love and I’ve never felt that way before.” I couldn’t believe it. From that moment on, I knew nothing could stop me from loving her – even if she crashed my Ferrari,” he once told the Mirror.
However, now that LeBlanc’s daughter Marina is much older — the star said they often watch Friends together. He told the Express in 2018: “It’s still on all the time, so we’ll stop and see if we’re channel surfing and it comes. The star said that Marina thinks the show is hilarious. “She likes to ask me questions about it. She’ll say, ‘Was it true? Did you really eat that? What did it taste like? Oh, did you eat that off the floor? This is disgusting! “You’re so funny, Dad,” he said.
While on The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2020, the father said, “My daughter is 16 now and it’s the same thing,” he said. “Like, ‘Where’s the rest of your shirt?’ The proud father also said that his daughter is a very talented singer. “She has a beautiful voice,” LeBlanc told People in 2014. He also said his daughter grew up in a very different time than he did. “Now there’s so much social media and so much more that she’s exposed to that I haven’t been exposed to,” he said. However, the star actor said that you have to believe in your children. “Just try to teach them right from wrong, take care of them and be there for them.” You can only do so much,” LeBlanc said.
What do you think of Matt LeBlanc leaving his career to become a full-time dad?! Would you or a family member do the same? If you found this article inspiring – be sure to share it with other family or friends!
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