Matt LeBlanc Refused To Answer His Agent Once His Decade Long Run On Friends Came To An End
The main six on Friends were on top of the television world. At the time, making $1 million each per episode was truly unheard of. Thanks to David Schwimmer's leadership, the main cast was able to secure such a deal, and it thrust them into TV royalty, something that can still be felt today.
As we're going to reveal in the following, the final episode was an emotional process for everyone involved, including Matt LeBlanc. We're going to reveal the bad habit LeBlanc restarted because of the stress involved during the finale episode. In addition, we'll take a closer look at what LeBlanc's goals were like once Friends came to an end. The actor wanted no part of anything Hollywood related. However, thankfully for fans that would all change down the road with a unique project that saw the actor play himself.
Matt LeBlanc And The Friends Cast Had An Emotional Experience Shooting The Finale Episode
It first aired in late September of 1994. After a decade long run, Friends aired its last episode on May 6th, 2004. As expected, it was an emotional process for the cast. Jennifer Aniston admits the tears started to flow even before the cameras started rolling, while the like of David Schwimmer were dreading what was to come on the day of the finale.
As for Matt LeBlanc, he battled those jitters in a different way, picking up smoking again.
"I had quit smoking, and the last episode, I started smoking again. It was very sad.”
Despite the emotional nature of the episode, Matt LeBlanc tells Glamour it was his favorite of all the seasons, given the sentimental value of it all.
"The last one because of the sentimental value," he answered about his favorite Friends episode. "That was a rough week. That was really tough knowing that that was coming to an end. The greatest gig ever. That was really rough."
Once Friends came to an end, Matt LeBlanc's career took a hit, and in truth, he wanted it that way.
Matt LeBlanc Told His Agent To Lose His Number After Friends Came To An End
Matt LeBlanc admitted to having a 'nervous breakdown' once Friends came to an end. The actor revealed he barely left the house and that his priorities had changed. He didn't want any type of schedule and instead, was in need of a break.
"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," the actor tell The Mirror.
The same held true for his professional relationship alongside his agent. LeBlanc told his team to lose his number.
"My agent was bummed. Most actors call their agents and say, 'What's going on?'. I'd call mine and say, 'Please lose my number for a few years"
He continues, "It was a very dark time. I almost had a nervous breakdown."
Fans of the actor are well aware that he would eventually return to television, and arguably enjoyed the most success on TV out of all his peers, aside from Jennifer Aniston. Although the Joey spinoff didn't work, it was another project that allowed LeBlanc to thrive, in a role nobody expected as himself.
Matt LeBlanc Got His Career Back On Track Thanks To The TV Series Episodes, But He Hesitated At First To Play Himself
Playing himself wasn't something Matt LeBlanc thought of for his career. Given the character description on Episodes, Matt LeBlanc struggled with the idea at the start. However, he was promised that it would all be worth it. The actor explained the process behind the scenes with Variety, and why he ended up accepting a deal.
“I did have a reservation in the beginning. I wasn’t comfortable playing myself,” LeBlanc tells Variety. “But they said, ‘Well, we’re not making a documentary. If there’s anything you’re uncomfortable with, we’ll change it. We’ll get through it together.’ And it was because of my history with them that I really felt comfortable."
Creatively, LeBlanc also loved the script and how it poked fun at Hollywood. Looking back, the script was very much ahead of its time and very reminiscent to the types of 'reality' shows that are trending today.
LeBlanc reveals, "It was a very unique idea in how it made fun of Hollywood. There were shows that were about the business before, but this one really did it in an original way. There was a device in the show — the fact that Sean and Beverly were new to Hollywood, it allowed the show to explain Hollywood to them and therefore the viewer, so that it didn’t feel too “inside.”
It was another tough goodbye for LeBlanc once the show came to an end, but he clearly made the most of the opportunity.
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