Winning the role of Joey Tribbiani on the ‘90s sitcom Friends changed Matt LeBlanc’s life. The actor, who was short of funds before he landed a gig that ended up earning him $1 million per episode, shot to global fame and became a beloved part of popular culture thanks to the hit show.
Over the course of the show, Joey is the focus of some of the series’ funniest episodes. Though Joey has some not-so-cool moments as well, overall he became a character that fans fell in love with as if he were family.
Playing Joey resulted in endless happy memories for LeBlanc, but there were parts of making Friends that he didn’t enjoy. In particular, there was one storyline that he didn’t want to film because it felt inauthentic to his character. Keep reading to find out which one!
Matt LeBlanc’s Role On ‘Friends’
Matt LeBlanc was one of the main stars on the hit TV show Friends. For 10 years over the course of the show, he played Joey Tribbiani.
Joey is a struggling actor who eventually finds fame and success, but it doesn’t change who he is as a person. While he is obsessed with intimacy and dating, he is the only one of the six main friends to not end up with a partner at the end of the show.
Like the rest of the friends, Joey has a funny character quirk: he’s not very intelligent. Most of the jokes that revolve around Joey on the show have to do with Joey’s lack of understanding or his love of food.
The ‘Friends’ Storyline He Initially Refused To Film
Matt LeBlanc has spoken positively about his time on Friends. Even though he had a happy experience overall while bringing Joey to life, there was one Friends storyline that he didn’t want to film. But in the end, the writers of the show got their way and he had to film it.
The storyline in question that Matt LeBlanc had a problem with came when the writers decided to make Joey and Rachel, played by Jennifer Aniston, a romantic couple.
The pair’s arc as a couple isn’t clear-cut. Joey has a crush on Rachel, but she doesn’t feel the same. And then Rachel develops feelings for Joey. In the end, they do end up briefly together, but it ultimately feels weird for both of them. Afterward, they go back to just being friends.
Why Matt LeBlanc Had A Problem With The Storyline
On Friends, there are two central relationships, and one gets even more focus than the other. They are Ross and Rachel, and Chandler and Monica.
While more time is spent on the tension between Ross and Rachel, which carries on from the first episode to the last, Chandler and Monica end up being the couple that most fans root for. The milestones of their relationship, including moving in together, getting engaged, getting married, and adopting babies, all make it into the show.
Regardless, everyone knows that it’s Ross and Rachel, not Joey and Rachel. Putting Joey with Rachel made some fans feel like the writers were breaking an unwritten law.
The Friends executive producer, Kevin S. Bright, revealed that LeBlanc was “very firmly against” Joey and Rachel being romantically involved. Cheat Sheet reports that, according to Bright, LeBlanc felt that taking Ross’s girlfriend didn’t align with Joey’s character.
Jennifer Aniston’s Take On Joey And Rachel’s Relationship
Jennifer Aniston has also spoken out against the relationship between Joey and Rachel, stating that it was supposed to be “Ross and Rachel all the way.”
“I just don’t think Joey and Rachel could have made it,” the actress explained (via Cheat Sheet). “I think it was more physical than emotional with them. They were friends with benefits, and they left it at that.”
The Rest Of The ‘Friends’ Cast Agreed
It looks like Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc weren’t the only cast members to be against Joey and Rachel’s romance.
InStyle reports that when the cast found out that Rachel and Joey were going to initiate a romance, their first reaction was, “You can’t do that!” Other reactions that were recorded from the general cast included “That’s like having a crush on your sister!” and “It’s like playing with fire!”
How Fans Reacted To Joey And Rachel
It’s safe to say that the cast members themselves weren’t the only ones to be against the Joey-Rachel storyline. Most fans of the show tend to be of the opinion that pairing the two friends together romantically was a mistake. Some took it as a sign that the writers were running out of ideas and the show was coming to an end.
Many fans of the show were actually more enthusiastic about the possibility of Joey ending up with Phoebe, played by Lisa Kudrow!
