“That's not who I am”: When Friends star Matt LeBlanc revealed how he is starkly different from Joey

Matt LeBlanc gave a career-defining performance as Joey Tribbiani in Friends. His iconic role as a dim-witted but adorable struggling actor, who always has a way with the ladies, became one of the highlights of the sitcom.

As we continue to watch reruns of the show, LeBlanc has become synonymous with Joey. So much so that the audience often thinks the actor would be just like Joey in his real life as well: a simple-minded but high-spirited guy.

However, that is not the case. In a 2012 interview with The Guardian, Matt LeBlanc revealed that his personality is starkly different from his character, and hence, people often misunderstand him:

“People will speak slowly to me sometimes. And they always ask me if I'm all right, because I'm much more low-key and reserved than my character in Friends. They think that I'm depressed, or I'm sad, or upset — but I'm just not amped up to go out in front of an audience and do a TV show. That's not who I am.”

Matt LeBlanc once talked about how he is different from Friends’ Joey

During the interview, Matt LeBlanc also talked about how fans keep approaching him, especially the newer generation who have discovered Friends now due to its multiple reruns on television:

“Because it's in reruns so frequently all around the world, the show is now being discovered by a new generation of young people. So I've been stopped a few times by young girls and guys saying: 'Oh my God, you're that guy from… wow, you're so old! What happened to your hair? God!' That stings; that's not funny.”

Further talking about how Friends helped him become a better comedic actor, LeBlanc said the NBC sitcom served as an educational institute for him, where he got to learn various aspects of comedy:

“The majority of my background is multi-camera format, which is very broad and a very arch perception of reality. Whereas single camera tends to be more truthful and a little more intimate of a medium.”

He added:

“Friends was an education in intelligent comedic banter; in intelligent vernacular. It was an education in scene study. It was an education in group dynamic. I came out of there with a masters degree in comedy.”

In the hit series, LeBlanc plays Joey, who is not as intelligent but can charm his way into anyone’s heart. With his lovable personality, Joey forms a unique connection with everyone. His signature catchphrase, ‘How you doin’?’ and his love for food, especially pizzas, have become a part of pop culture over the years.

The character became so popular that he ended up getting his own spin-off series, Joey, following the conclusion of Friends. However, the show only lasted two seasons and couldn’t create the same magic as the original series.

Nevertheless, LeBlanc still benefited from the show as he made $15 million per episode. Talking about how the spin-off failed because the creators changed Joey’s character, LeBlanc said:

“I thought that it was a good show. I just think that we were telling stories that emasculated the character. They wrote a guy who became very doubtful of himself in this new place, in Hollywood, no friends, can't meet girls — and that's not who Joey was.”

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After the two sitcoms, the actor has made sporadic appearances on television, working in shows like Man with a Plan, Episodes, Top Gear, and Web Therapy. His film credits include Lost in Space, Charlie's Angels, All the Queen's Men, and Lovesick.

For more interesting updates about Friends, stay tuned to Soap Central.

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