What David Schwimmer Thought When He First Met Matt LeBlanc On Friends
Thanks to the HBO Max reunion of the now-classic NBC sitcom "Friends," people are revisiting all their favorite characters, moments, and all the old debates they used to have. Yes, the show was ultimately book-ended by the romantic relationship between Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) and Rachel Greene (Jennifer Aniston), but each character had their own complicated stories across 10 seasons.
And while the primary relationship Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) had throughout the show was with his roommate and best friend Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), Joey did develop a strong bond with Rachel. In fact, the two even kissed while Rachel was pregnant with her and Ross's child.
We could talk endlessly about whether or not that decision was good for the characters, good for the show, or good for the fans, but what it really reminds us of is the weird friendship between Joey and Ross. And with that in mind, let's look back on what the real-life relationship was between Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer at the very start of "Friends." Specifically, let's talk about how Schwimmer felt the first time he met LeBlanc — because it's pretty funny.
Here's the reason Schwimmer knew LeBlanc was playing Joey
Sitting around the rebuilt set of "Friends," the cast sat together, going around the room and telling stories they remember from their 10 seasons together. Early on, they discussed the first time they all met. Jennifer Aniston piped up quickly because she remembers exactly what all the women were wearing when they first met.
Schwimmer then chimed in to talk about what he remembers from that day, and LeBlanc jokingly asked Schwimmer if he remembers what he was wearing. Scwhimmer said he doesn't, but he does remember that LeBlanc was the first member of the cast he saw and that his first thought was, "Oh, okay. That's why I've been losing out on all these roles all these years. This is the hunk. Of course he's Joey."
What's funny is that neither actor was really hurting for work immediately prior to "Friends," even if the two hadn't exactly landed anything massive yet. Schwimmer played Michael on a handful of episodes of "The Wonder Years," he was City Attorney Dana Romney for five episodes of "L.A. Law," and he was Josh "4B" Goldstein at the very start of "NYPD Blue."
Was it fair to say that LeBlanc was doing better? Well, if name roles are your measure, then yes. After a handful of appearances as Kelly Bundy's (Christina Applegate) boyfriend Vinnie Verducci on "Married With Children," LeBlanc got his own spin-off. The series was originally called "Top of the Heap" but was later changed to "Vinnie & Bobby." There were only 14 total episodes, but LeBlanc was still in a title role. Still, neither actor had done anything has big as "Friends" up until that show's debut in 1994.
The entirety of Friends: The Reunion" is now streaming on HBO Max.