Matt LeBlanc And His Daughter Marina Have Always Been Close
"Friends" star Matt LeBlanc has always been a doting father to daughter Marina Pearl LeBlanc. The actor, best known for playing Joey Tribbiani in the hit '90s sitcom, shares Marina with his ex-wife Melissa McKnight. LeBlanc and McKnight welcomed their daughter in 2004, two years before the pair got divorced, per People. The former couple got joint custody of their only child together, according to The Daily Mirror.
Marina and her dad have remained close throughout the years, with LeBlanc gushing about fatherhood on numerous occasions. In 2016, he told The Daily Mirror, "I remember when my daughter, Marina, was born. The second I laid eyes on her, I was in love, and I had never felt that way before." Being a present father has always been a priority for LeBlanc. In 2014, he told People, "It's really fun making [Marina] breakfast, taking her to and from school and helping her with her homework. And we spend time together and take trips."
In addition to the good times, LeBlanc and his daughter have faced major hurdles together, as Marina was diagnosed with a serious medical condition as a baby. Marina had cortical dysplasia, a brain disorder that causes difficulties walking and talking. At the time, LeBlanc pressed pause on his career to take care of her. Fortunately, Marina overcame the condition as a toddler.
Through the highs and lows, LeBlanc has been by his daughter's side during some pivotal moments. Let's take a look.
Matt LeBlanc and his daughter have shared some memorable moments
Matt LeBlanc is one proud dad. And as it turns out, the "Friends" star isn't the only performer in his family. In a 2014 interview with People, LeBlanc raved about his daughter Marina's musical chops. "She has a beautiful voice. She has an audition for the talent show at her school today. I helped her to prepare some new pop song I don't know," he said. Singing wasn't Marina's only strong suit growing up. In an appearance on "The Ellen Show," LeBlanc talked about another talent of hers when he gave an update about Marina's interest in horseback riding, sharing that the almost 13-year-old was jumping in competitions.
Later in the interview, LeBlanc shared how his daughter had gotten the royal treatment — literally. When he, Marina, and his stepdaughter went backstage at a Bruce Springsteen concert, none other than Prince Harry was there. LeBlanc revealed, "So, Prince Harry — at the end of the night — gives my stepdaughter and my daughter a kiss goodnight on the cheek. And they were both just floored."
Marina's a big fan of another icon — the one and only Rihanna. In 2016, her dad told People, "This year for her birthday, [Marina] said, 'I want you to get Rihanna to come.' And, I was like, 'I'll get right on that, sure.'" The gift of Queen RiRi IRL? What a birthday!
How Matt LeBlanc's daughter felt about his Friends stardom
So, what's it like being the daughter of the iconic Joey Tribbiani actor? Yup, it's as cool as you'd expect ... well, sometimes. On the one hand, watching "Friends" together has been a unique bonding experience for Matt LeBlanc and his daughter Marina. Unlike the rest of the world, Marina's gotten a true inside look at her dad's beloved character.
In a 2018 interview with Express UK, LeBlanc said, "She loves to ask me questions about it. She'll say, 'Was that real? Did you really eat that? What did that taste like? Ooh, you ate that off the floor? That's gross! You're so funny, Dad.'" At one point in time, Joey even stole the show for her. As LeBlanc shared, "It's fun to sit and watch it with her. She used to call it 'The Joey Tribbiani Show' -– but now she knows to call it 'Friends.'"
That said, LeBlanc's "Friends" fame hasn't fazed Marina. In a 2017 interview on "The Ellen Show," the actor told Ellen DeGeneres, "I don't think she thinks I'm too cool." As for Marina's interest in the popular series, LeBlanc insisted his daughter's no superfan. "She can't be bothered. She just couldn't care less," the actor explained. He added, "It's her dad. She sees me enough — she's like, overdose on my dad."