Matt LeBlanc made a significant choice to step back from his career to focus on his daughter, who battled a health condition when she was younger. She has since overcome her challenges and is now thriving as a young woman. Curious to see how she’s grown? Check out her recent photos.
Matt LeBlanc, best known for his role in “Friends,” shares a child with his ex-wife, Melissa McKnight. The couple married in May 2003 and welcomed their daughter, Marina Pearl LeBlanc, in February 2004. She was born with a delicate condition, but over time, her health has greatly improved.
Melissa McKnight and Matt LeBlanc pictured on their wedding day on May 3, 2003 in Kilauea, Hawaii. | Sources: Getty Images
Marina faced significant challenges in her early years when doctors diagnosed her with cortical dysplasia, a condition that affects the brain, bones, and motor skills. Those with the condition often have difficulty walking and are prone to seizures.
At just 11 months old, Marina’s doctors diagnosed her and cautioned that the condition had also impacted her vocal cords, potentially affecting her ability to speak. At the same time, Matt’s marriage to British model Melissa crumbled amid rumors of infidelity. However, his main concern was his daughter’s illness.
He once shared, “My daughter was diagnosed with a problem with her head. It was a very dark period. But I got through it. Don’t they say what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger?”
Matt focused all his energy on Marina during this tough period. He first noticed something was wrong when she would fall to her left side while crawling.
Adding to the stress of the diagnosis, a nanny leaked the story to the press, deepening Matt’s struggles. “We had a nanny who sold the story about my daughter to the papers. It was a very dark period,” the father of one revealed in a January 2011 interview.
Despite the chaos in his life at the time, the television star made it his mission to prioritize his daughter, putting his career on hold. “I was so burned out after ‘Joey,’ I just didn’t want to work,” Matt explained about the “Friends” spin-off show that was axed after only two seasons.
“I wanted to not have a schedule, not be somewhere. And I was in a position where I could do that. I wanted to spend time with my daughter. She is the most important thing in my life, and spending that time with her was the best thing I have ever done,” he continued.
As for his marriage to Melissa, it ended in October 2006, after three years. In an unusual move in Hollywood, Matt reportedly did not hire a lawyer for the divorce proceedings.
The couple remained on good terms and shared joint custody of Marina, who split her time between her parents. Thankfully, the youngster eventually outgrew her medical condition.
Her famous father was proud to discuss her interests during an interview once when she was only 12 years old. Asked what his daughter was interested in at the time, Matt said, “Horses and Rihanna.”
The actor also revealed that his daughter once asked to have Rihanna attend her birthday, and he assured her he would make it happen. Regarding her passion for horses, Marina was already riding at a young age and even participated in jumping competitions.
During a January 2017 interview on the now-defunct “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Matt was asked whether his daughter thinks he’s cool since he’s a celebrity.
“I don’t think she thinks I’m too cool, no,” he answered. The Hollywood star shared that Marina’s friends at school were watching “Friends,” but she wasn’t interested and didn’t care much about it. However, he did mention that she has watched the show herself and is hard to impress.