Was Matt LeBlanc's Wife On Friends?
Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) is the food-loving ladies' man of the group on "Friends." He spends most of the series dating random women, many of whom he ghosts after getting lucky. On the flip side, LeBlanc himself has been in several well-documented long-term relationships, including a marriage to the model Melissa McKnight. That being said, she never appeared in a single episode of "Friends" during their time as partners.
According to The List, LeBlanc and McKnight started dating in 1997 and eventually tied the knot in 2003. While the couple ultimately got divorced three years later, they were together for a substantial portion of LeBlanc's tenure on the beloved sitcom. But it didn't lead to her landing a gig on the show, and it's unknown if the idea was ever proposed. Of course, McNight is no stranger to the screen as she did have a small role in the 2001 comedy "Triangles and Tribulations."As of this writing, though, she's yet to grace the world of sitcoms.
Still, LeBlanc has starred alongside another previous long-term partner on the screen courtesy of "Joey," a series that's set in the same universe as "Friends." Furthermore, their respective characters actually get to enjoy some romantic moments together throughout the spin-off's two seasons.
Matt LeBlanc and Andrea Anders co-starred on Joey
Joey Tribbiani shows some growth toward the end of "Friends," with his almost-romance with Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston) being a huge turning point for him. The character demonstrates more signs of being ready to settle down on "Joey" as well, though it takes him a minute to kick some of his old habits.
"Joey" sees the titular womanizer fall head over heels for his neighbor, Alex Garrett (Andrea Anders). Joey and Alex's relationship is a frustrating on-again, off-again romance that encounters some hiccups, as both characters have commitment issues and other priorities early on. Still, they can't shake their feelings for each other, and eventually manage to settle down. Unfortunately, "Joey" was canceled after two seasons, so fans will never know what the creators had in mind for the characters' romance in the long run. Perhaps if Alex was introduced on "Friends" instead of the spin-off, the fictional lovers would have been able to live happily ever after.
Still, some romance was in the air for the actors after "Joey" aired its final episode. In 2006, following the show's cancelation, LeBlanc and Anders confirmed their real-life relationship, with the couple remaining together for eight years. Their breakup was announced at the start of 2015, but they'd reportedly been separated for months when the news became public knowledge.