Matt LeBlanc recalls near loss of ‘Friends’ role to cowboy-dressed actor

Matt LeBlanc has shared details regarding his audition for the role of Joey Tribbiani on the television series ‘Friends’. The actor recalled that the casting process for the character, described as an Italian-American struggling actor in New York, had narrowed down to him and one other finalist.

LeBlanc noted that his competition arrived at the audition dressed as a cowboy, which stood in stark contrast to the character description. While LeBlanc did not name the individual in his original 2019 interview on ‘The Tonight Show’, the 2021 ‘Friends’ reunion identified the other finalist as Louis Mandylor. Mandylor later appeared on the series in Season 6 as the character Carl.