Tag: Matt LeBlanc

57 years on, Matt LeBlanc remains a Hollywood hunk thanks to his decade spent playing lovable womanizer Joey on Friends. However, when it comes to his off-screen life, the actor has maintained a more private presence.

Compared to the rest of his co-stars, Matt is one of the more quiet when it comes to his personal life, and unlike Joey Tribbiani’s storied romantic past, the actor has been more steady when it comes to his romances.

Away from the cameras, Matt is also a doting dad of one, and a former stepdad-of-two, and in honor of his big day, here’s a look at his family life, from his relationships to fatherhood…

A smooth Hollywood man

Outside of his long term relationships, Matt’s first most notable romance came way back in the ’90s, just as Friends began picking up steam after its 1994 debut.

It was reported at the time that the actor was dating none other than Kate Hudson, who was only 17 at the time while he was 28. However, it was never confirmed whether that was actually true.

Flash forward to 2004, when Friends came to an end, Matt was tapped to star in the short-lived spin-off Joey, with actress Andrea Anders playing his love interest Alex.

They began a romance in 2006, shortly after the series concluded. However, in 2014, they called it quits on the relationship, with his spokesperson confirming to Us Weekly that they “decided to end things some time ago.”

MORE: Matt LeBlanc on the Friends reunion has Twitter in a frenzy — here’s why!

In 2017, he was first spotted with Top Gear producer Aurora Mulligan. It wasn’t until 2018 when he subtly confirmed that they were dating when he told Graham Norton on his show about living in London: “I have a flat here with my girlfriend but my home is in LA.”

The couple quietly continued to date for a few years before ultimately calling it quits around early 2022. The Irish TV producer has since become a mom.

STAR REELS

Marriage and divorce

In 1997, Matt was introduced by Kelly Phillips (the wife of actor Lou Diamond Phillips) to Melissa McKnight, now 59, a British-born American model.

The two quickly struck up a romance and just a year later, while at the height of Friends mania, Matt popped the question. After a long engagement, they finally tied the knot in 2003.

However, in 2006, Matt and Melissa decided to call time on their marriage and got a divorce. They remained in each other’s lives, however, as co-parents to their three kids.

SEE: Man’s best Friends! Meet Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry & co’s pet dogs

Fatherhood and Step-Fatherhood

In 2003, Matt and Melissa welcomed their daughter Marina Pearl LeBlanc. The early months were difficult, however, as Marina began experiencing seizures when she was just eight months old. At 11 months, she was diagnosed with cortical dysplasia, a common cause of epilepsy.

After wrapping up Joey in 2006, he took an extended break from the screen to focus on his daughter, whose condition fortunately began to improve as she grew older. By two years old, the seizures had subsided.

MORE: Matt LeBlanc talks Jennifer Aniston’s split from Justin Theroux

He told The Sunday Times in 2005: “My [favorite] thing is not to work. I like to be with my family or my friends, to ride my bike.” 

“So I do my thing, go home and live my life. Maybe having my daughter, maybe that’s what it was, but life’s too short to be stressing out about your career. I don’t care as much as I used to.”

Matt also became a stepfather with his marriage to Melissa to her children Tyler and Jacquelyn. He became close with them while they were together, and made sure to remain as such after the split. Tyler is a sound engineer while Jacquelyn is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology. 

Marina, now 20, is living a more private life, but her dad revealed in an earlier People interview that she was indeed a talented performer as well — but as a singer. “She has a beautiful voice. She has an audition for the talent show at her school today. I helped her to prepare some new pop song I don’t know.”