Matthew Steven "Matt" LeBlanc (born July 25, 1967) is an American actor and producer, best known for his role as Joey Tribbiani on the NBC sitcom, Friends and its spin-off Joey. In 2011, LeBlanc began starring as a fictional version of himself in Episodes, a BBC Two/Showtime television series created by Friends co-creator David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik. 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 three more for Episodes.
LeBlanc first appeared in a 1987 Heinz Tomato Ketchup commercial. In 1988, he starred in the television drama TV 101 for one season. He went on to star in a spin-off of Married... with Children titled Top of the Heap. The Fox series lasted seven episodes airing in April and May 1991.
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. He has appeared in the films Lookin' Italian (1994), Ed (1996), Lost in Space (1998), Charlie's Angels (2000), and All the Queen's Men (2001).
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. 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.
His production company, Fort Hill Productions, co-produced the made-for-TV movie, The Prince, in 2006.
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. The series is written by Friends co-creator David Crane and his partner Jeffrey Klarik. LeBlanc won the 2012 Golden Globe for Best Actor in a TV Series Comedy for his performance. The second season of Episodes began airing on BBC Two on 11 May 2012.
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. He also appeared in Series 19 Episode 4 to race the New Kia Cee'd, and beat the old car time.