After watching someone on TV for years, it can be tough separating the actor from the character they play, especially if a performer is ever typecasted. Though Matt LeBlanc has played non-comedic roles, he's still synonymous with "Friends." For 10 seasons, LeBlanc played goofball Joey Tribbiani. The character wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but he always had a funny quip, as well as the catchphrase, "How you doin'?" However, LeBlanc is not a carbon copy of Joey.
In an interview with The Guardian,
he shared, "People will speak slowly to me sometimes." While having strangers think you're actually dim-witted is bad, LeBlanc also said he's much more subdued and chill when he's not working — and his behavior ends up leading people to think he's down in the dumps about something.
It's unfair of people to assume LeBlanc, who's had a stunning transformation, is exactly like his TV alter ego. Acting is all about leaving yourself behind for a bit to play someone else — plenty of Hallmark actors are completely different off-screen too. Another example is Sir Anthony Hopkins, best known for playing serial killer and cannibal Hannibal Lecter in several films, who once joked to Ellen DeGeneres, "I don't know why they cast me in these parts." He then added, "I"m not like that at all" (via YouTube). No one expects Hopkins to actually be a murderer in real life, just like people shouldn't expect LeBlanc to always be on and funny.
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Matt LeBlanc's Totally Fine Kicking Back And Taking Things Easy
Matt LeBlanc may not be a class clown in real life, but he does still have a sense of humor. One person told BuzzFeed that they attended a wedding where the "Friends" star was also a guest. "I told him he was my crush when I was a little kid and he said, 'That makes me feel old.'" Funny response, but also kind of a cringey moment all around.
In February 2025, a resurfaced interview LeBlanc did made the rounds on TikTok. In the clip, the actor shared why he hasn't been working a ton. "It was 10 years of 'Friends,' and then I did two years of 'Joey,' and then I said, 'Right, I'm gonna take a year off, I wanna take a year off and just relax," LeBlanc said. Hilariously, he then admitted he loved sitting around and doing zilch, so he did it again for another five or six years. "My absolute favorite thing in the world to do is nothing," he joked. "I'm great at it."
LeBlanc worked consistently for 12 years on two TV shows, and also made several movies, so the man deserved a nice break. Plus, he earned absolute bank on "Friends" alone, eventually grossing a whopping $1 million per episode for the show's last two seasons, which was unheard of at the time. He and the rest of the "Friends" cast also made a nice chunk of change from the reunion special.
Read the original article on The List.
