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Matt LeBlanc

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Matt LeBlanc
LeBlanc at the 2013 British Academy Television Awards
Born
Matthew Steven LeBlanc

(1967-07-25) July 25, 1967 (age 57)
Newton, Massachusetts, United States
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian, producer, presenter
Years active1985–2006, 2011-present
Spouse
Melissa McKnight
​
​
(m. 2003; div. 2006)​
PartnerAndrea Anders (2006–2015)
Children1

Matthew Steven "Matt" LeBlanc (born July 25, 1967)[1] is an American actor, comedian, and producer, best known for his role as the dim-witted womanizing actor Joey Tribbiani on the popular NBC sitcom Friends, which ran from 1994 to 2004. LeBlanc also stars as a fictional version of himself in Episodes. He won a Golden Globe award for his work on Episodes, and was nominated for an Emmy three times for his work on Friends and four times for Episodes. In 2016, LeBlanc started to host on the BBC motoring show Top Gear.

Early life

LeBlanc was born in Newton, Massachusetts. His mother, Patricia, was an office manager, and his father, Paul, was a mechanic.[1][2] His mother is of Italian ancestry and his father of French-Canadian.[3]

He attended Newton North High School and graduated in 1985. He also graduated with comedian Louis CK, with whom he would later be nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmy Awards multiple times.[4]

Career

1985-1994: Early Career

LeBlanc first appeared in a 1987 Heinz Tomato Ketchup commercial. In 1988, he starred in the television drama TV 101 for one season. In 1991, he had a recurring role on the hit Fox sitcom, Married... with Children. He played Vinnie Verducci, the son of one of the friends of the protagonist, Al Bundy and the boyfriend of Al's daughter, Kelly. He went on to star in two short-lived spin-offs of Married... with Children titled Top of the Heap and Vinnie and Bobby, both of which aired in 1991.

He appeared in two of Jon Bon Jovi's music videos: "Miracle", from the Young Guns II soundtrack in 1990, and "Say It Isn't So" in 2000.[5] He also appeared in Alanis Morissette's single "Walk Away" in 1991, the last seconds of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers "Into the Great Wide Open" in which he is seen getting a tattoo, and in Bob Seger's "Night Moves" in 1994.[6]

1994-2006: Breakthrough Role as Joey Tribbiani

LeBlanc in 1995

LeBlanc found success in the role of Joey Tribbiani on Friends, and went on to play this character for 12 years — 10 seasons of Friends and two seasons of Joey. Friends was successful and LeBlanc, along with his co-stars, gained wide recognition among viewers. For his performance, LeBlanc received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations, three Golden Globe award nominations, and one Screen Actors Guild Award. During this time, he has appeared in the films Lookin' Italian (1994), Ed (1996), Lost in Space (1998), Charlie's Angels (2000), and its sequel, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003).

His production company, Fort Hill Productions, co-produced the made-for-TV movie, The Prince, in 2006.

2006-2011: Hiatus

Following the cancellation of Joey, LeBlanc announced that he would be taking a one-year hiatus from acting, which later turned into a five-year hiatus from acting. His next role would be as a fictionalized version of himself on Episodes.[7]

2011-present: Episodes and Top Gear

In 2011, LeBlanc began appearing as a fictional version of himself in Episodes, a BBC/Showtime television series about a British television series that is remade for an American audience.[8][9] The series is written by Friends co-creator David Crane and his partner Jeffrey Klarik.[10] LeBlanc won the 2012 Golden Globe for Best Actor in a TV Series Comedy for his performance, and was nominated for an additional four Primetime Emmy Awards.[11] The latest season of Episodes, its fifth, is scheduled to begin filming in 2016.[12]

In February 2012, LeBlanc appeared in the second episode of the eighteenth series of Top Gear, where he set the fastest time of 1:42.1 in the Kia Cee'd, narrowly beating previous holder Rowan Atkinson by 0.1 seconds.[6] He also appeared in Series 19 Episode 4 to race the New Kia Cee'd, and beat the old car time. In February 2016, the BBC announced LeBlanc is to be one of the new presenters of Top Gear.[13]

Personal life

In the mid-1990s, LeBlanc dated actress Kate Hudson.[14] He married Melissa McKnight, a former model, in May 2003.[15] McKnight and LeBlanc had been introduced in 1997 by her friend Kelly Phillips, wife of actor Lou Diamond Phillips, and LeBlanc proposed to her a year later.[15] Their daughter Marina, born in 2004, began suffering seizures when she was eight months old. By the time she was two years old, however, the condition, thought to be a form of dysplasia, had mostly subsided.[15]

LeBlanc and McKnight separated on January 1, 2006.[15][16] In March of that year, LeBlanc filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The divorce became final on October 6, 2006.[16]

After his divorce, LeBlanc began dating actress Andrea Anders. The two met while filming the short-lived sitcom Joey. A representative for the pair confirmed the couple had split in January 2015.[17]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1993 Ghost Brigade Terhune aka Grey Knight and The Killing Box
1994 Lookin' Italian Anthony Manetti aka Showdown
1996 Ed Jack 'Deuce' Cooper
1998 Lost in Space Major Don West
2000 Charlie's Angels Jason Gibbons
2001 All the Queen's Men O'Rourke
2003 Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Jason Gibbons
2014 Lovesick Charlie Darby
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1987 Doll Day Afternoon[citation needed] GI Joe TV short
1988–1989 TV 101 Chuck Bender 13 episodes
1989 Just the Ten of Us Todd Murphy 2 episodes
1990 Anything to Survive Billy Barton TV film; credited as Matthew LeBlanc
1990 Monsters Tommy Episode: "A Shave and a Haircut, Two Bites"
1991 Married... with Children Vinnie Verducci 3 episodes
1991 Top of the Heap Vinnie Verducci 7 episodes
1991 Vinnie & Bobby Vinnie Verducci 7 episodes
1991 Red Shoe Diaries Tom's Brother 2 episodes
1993 Class of '96 Frank Goodman Episode: "Bright Smoke, Cold Fire"
1993, 1997 Red Shoe Diaries Kyle, Jed Episodes: "Another Woman's Lipstick" and "Burning Up" (segment: Kidnap)
1994 Reform School Girl Vince TV film
1994–2004 Friends Joey Tribbiani 236 episodes
2004–2006 Joey 46 episodes
2011–present Episodes "Matt LeBlanc" 34 episodes
2013 Web Therapy Nick Jericho 3 episodes (web series)
Web Therapy 2 episodes (TV series)
2016–present Top Gear Presenter

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
1995 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Friends Won
2002 Emmy Awards[18] Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated
Teen Choice Awards TV Choice Actor Won
Golden Globe Awards Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy Nominated
2003 Golden Globe Awards Nominated
Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated
2004 Emmy Awards Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy Joey Nominated
2005 People's Choice Awards Favorite Male Television Star Won
2011 Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Episodes Nominated
2012 Golden Globe Awards Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy Won
2013 Golden Globe Awards Nominated
Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated
2014 Emmy Awards Nominated
2015 Emmy Awards Nominated

References

  1. ^ a b "Matt LeBlanc (1967– )". FilmReference.com.
  2. ^ "Way to Go, Joey!".
  3. ^ Rafanelli, Stephanie (May 17, 2014). "Matt LeBlanc: 'I have an ego, but I try to leave it at the door'". The Daily Telegraph. UK. Archived from the original on January 7, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2015. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "Louis C.K. and Matt LeBlanc, way back when". Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Bon Jovi – Say It Isn' So". YouTube. Retrieved May 22, 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Episode 2". BBC. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  7. ^ "Matt LeBlanc on Life after 'Friends' and Taking a Six Year Hiatus Play Mute Current Time 1:03 / Duration Time 4:36 Loaded: 0%Progress: 0% Share Non-Fullscreen". Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  8. ^ Rampton, James (January 6, 2011). "Episodes: The one where Matt LeBlanc plays himself..." The Independent. Retrieved March 2, 2011.
  9. ^ "Matt LeBlanc Spoofs Himself On Comedy 'Episodes'". access hollywood. January 4, 2011. Retrieved March 2, 2011.
  10. ^ Parks, Tim (September 30, 2009). "LeBlanc to star as himself on 'Episodes'". Digital Spy. Retrieved September 30, 2009.
  11. ^ "Nominations & Winners". Golden Globes website. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
  12. ^ "'Episodes' Renewed for Nine Episode Season Five by Showtime". TV by the Numbers. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  13. ^ "Matt LeBlanc joins Top Gear! | Top Gear". Top Gear. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  14. ^ Beard, Lanford (2005). E! True Hollywood Story : the Real Stories Behind the Glitter. Chamberlain Bros. ISBN 159609091X.
  15. ^ a b c d Wulff, Jennifer. "Matt Leblanc's Surprise Split", People, vol. 65, no. 15, April 17, 2006. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  16. ^ a b "Matt LeBlanc's Other Woman". People. April 6, 2006. Retrieved March 27, 2009.
  17. ^ "Matt LeBlanc and Andrea Anders Break Up : People.com". PEOPLE.com.
  18. ^ "Matt LeBlanc". Television Academy.
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