Matt LeBlanc has dismissed talk of him retiring from showbiz as “rubbish”.
The 57-year-old ‘Friends’ star has had a long TV career after he left the NBC series – in which he played Joey Tribbiani from 1994 to 2004 – but recent reports have branded him a “recluse” who has decided to step away from the spotlight, especially after the death of his ‘Friends’ co-star Matthew Perry.
But his publicist told the Daily Mirror when asked if the rumours were true: “Rubbish.”
Joey’s decades-long acting career kicked off with a role in the short film ‘Doll Day Afternoon’, and he also starred in ‘Married... with Children’.
After ‘Friends’ ended he starred in the short-lived spin-off series ‘Joey’, and played a parody version of himself in the sitcom Episodes.
He also hosted UK car show ‘Top Gear’.
A source had told Mail Online Matt was planning to quit the limelight to focus on things other than fame after his ‘Friends’ co-star Matthew died aged 54 in October 2023 after taking massive doses of ketamine.
The insider told the outlet: “Such an important part of (Matt’s) life and a good friend is gone. It has made him rethink his life.
“He wants to focus on other interests as that’s what is important to him right now.
“He would need the perfect opportunity to return in front of the camera for any role in TV and film as he has silently retired.
“He is financially stable and doesn’t really want to be in the limelight anymore.”
One of Matt’s last TV appearances was in 2021, when he took part in the HBO ‘Friends’ reunion special, which brought him back together with co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matthew.
The castmates said in a joint statement in the wake of Matthew’s death: “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew.
“We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
