After winning over audiences and becoming a household name as one of the six lead characters in hit sitcom Friends, actor Matt LeBlanc has found an unconventional way to carve a new chapter in his career; playing a nastier version of himself.
LeBlanc, 46, who spent 10 years playing the dim-witted but lovable Joey Tribbiani on Friends, has found a new lease of life on television playing the reckless and rude character of Matt LeBlanc on Showtime’s Episodes, a role that has already won him a Golden Globe award.
Episodes, now in its third season, sees its leading characters once again tackle the dysfunctional personalities running the complex and convoluted back end of Hollywood’s television industry as they try to make a hit television show.
Sitting at his publicist’s office in Beverly Hills, a jovial LeBlanc talked to Reuters about life after Friends and blurring the lines between fiction and reality on Episodes.
Q: What do you enjoy the most about playing a version of yourself in Episodes
A: It’s actually quite fun to play basically the public’s perception of the celebrity. So it’s not accurately me at all. Sometimes it’s right on the money, and sometimes it’s way off base. I’ve really stuck to my guns about not differentiating which is which, because a lot of people ask me how similar am I to Matt LeBlanc in the show, and I think that, to me, is relevant. My job is to make you, the audience, believe I am Joey Tribbiani or I am Matt LeBlanc, that’s an actor’s job, to have this seamless interpretation of a character.
Q: Were there any ‘no-go’ areas of you life that you didn’t want drawn in
A: Yes. In terms of my family, I am divorced and have a daughter and have two step kids. In the show, I’m divorced and have two sons. And that was enough to not have it mirror my life too much in that area. Aside from that, the marching orders have always been for all of us that I don’t mind being the brunt of the joke if it’s a great joke. If it’s worth it, I’m game. If it’s just low-hanging fruit (then no).
Q: Have you drawn inspiration from any real celebrities in Hollywood for the character of Matt LeBlanc in Episodes
A: Yes, there’s probably a dash of Charlie Sheen in there, if you’re trying to think of some of the zaniest behaviour you’ve heard of. What we’ve done with Matt is pushed the envelope. I remember seeing on the front page of the Calendar section of the Sunday Los Angeles Times when we were on Friends that my salary was published, how much we were making. And I was like, ‘Wow, that’s embarrassing, look at that number.’ There’s a gamut of emotions. People know how much money I made, it’s weird, certain things are nobody’s