The sad truth behind why Friends star Matt LeBlanc stopped acting after Joey

Whether you are a fan of Friends or not, chances are, you know who Joey Tribbiani is and who plays the character, Matt LeBlanc. Even after the longrunning sitcom came to an end, LeBlanc continued playing Joey in the spin-off, Joey. But this wasn’t as fun for the actor as it may seem.

Working for so many years as one character can become exhausting. Not only physically, but mentally, too. And you may not immediately realize it, as your mind is clouded with wanting to please the audience that has watched you for years and years.

Along with his Friends co-stars, LeBlanc earned one of the highest TV salaries in history. So why did, when Joey was cancelled, LeBlanc all but disappeared?

Many wondered how it was possible for LeBlanc to not snag any roles. After all, he’s hilarious and a very talented actor. Little did fans know, this is what Matt LeBlanc wanted, to step away for some time.

Why did Matt LeBlanc take a long break after Joey?

In an interview with The Mirror that’s recently resurfaced, LeBlanc reveals that he was burnt out after all this year of, not only working, but portraying one character.

LeBlanc opens up:

"“For years and years, I barely left the house. I was burnt out. I wanted to not have a schedule, not be somewhere. I was in a position to do that.”"

After working so hard for so long, a break is very much-deserved! Unfortunately, LeBlanc was also pretty depressed. He continued to share that it was “a very dark time” for him and it almost caused a nervous breakdown.

Add to this the fact that LeBlanc had been embodying a character for 12 years, I can’t imagine how difficult it must’ve been to try and start fresh with a new role. At the same time, Cinemablend tells that the actor was also going through a divorce with Melissa McKnight, and his daughter Marina was also diagnosed with cortical dysplasia around this time.

After Joey ended in 2006, LeBlanc didn’t appear on-screen until 2013 in Web Therapy. His other projects are Lovesick in 2014, Episodes from 2011 to 2017, and Man with a Plan from 2016-2020. We can’t wait to see where he’ll pop up next!