He decided to do so. Matt LeBlanc, who was predicted to have a great future, left everything for his daughter
Some actors are remembered for a specific role. That’s Matt LeBlanc’s case: he rose to fame thanks to his work as Joey Tribbiani in Friends and made us fall in love with his seductive personality, humor, and the famous line: “How you doin’?” However, away from the spotlight of the cameras, the actor went through some challenging times. From not having any money to the illness his daughter was diagnosed with when she was 8 months old.
At Bright Side, we find in Matt LeBlanc a story that inspires us to overcome life’s difficult moments, step up in tough times, and overcome adversity until the sun shines again.
As a child, he had no interest in acting.
Unlike many celebrities, who know they want to go into acting, young Matt LeBlanc didn’t even dream about that. His passion was motorcycles, and he also trained to work in carpentry.
He dropped out of college in his second semester and decided to go to New York to try his luck as a model, but was told that his height was not a good match for that profession. However, he was not discouraged, and he managed to sign with an agent at an audition. He made the jump to television after starring in commercials for well-known brands such as Levi’s, Coca-Cola, Heinz, and Doritos.
The doors to Friends
Matt managed to work in some TV series like TV 101. He had a recurring role in Married… with Children too. But none of these gigs gave him the financial stability he needed, let alone the leap to fame he sought. Before Friends’ success, the actor had only $11 left and was constantly scraping by, for example, fixing his teeth himself, as he couldn’t afford a dentist.
The timeless Joey Tribbiani
Choosing Matt LeBlanc was hard for the show’s producers, who told Friends: The Reunion that they were torn between him and Louis Mandylor. The latter ended up appearing in the series anyway, but in a different role. He was Joey’s “twin brother.” LeBlanc’s character in Friends will always be remembered for his charisma, lack of common sense, his huge and generous heart, and his “ability” to speak French.
Then he fell in love.
Love for his daughter above all else
After separating from his wife and leaving television, LeBlanc went to live on a ranch in California with his daughter, even though they share joint custody. “My daughter was diagnosed with a brain problem. It was a very dark period, but we were able to get through it — don’t they say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger?” he told The Mirror.
“I remember when she was born. From the moment I looked at her, I fell in love, and I had never felt that way before. I couldn’t believe it. I knew in that instant that nothing would stop me from loving her, even if she crashed my Ferrari.”
A happy ending to a big scare
Marina overcame her illness; today, she enjoys watching Friends with her father. The actor said that if they’re flipping through the channels and the series comes on, they leave it to watch the episode. “She loves to ask me questions like: ’Was that real? Did you really eat that? Did you eat it off the floor? That’s disgusting! You’re funny, Dad!’”.
What do you think of this personal part of the actor’s life?
