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Matt Le Blanc
Matt was born to an Italian mother and a father who is a mix of Irish, Dutch, English and French. That's why, his last
name, LeBlanc, is French, and means, "The White", while his character Joey, has an Italian last name. When he was
a kid, he was interested in motorcycling, more than in acting. At the age of 8 he got his first motorcycle, and stated to
participate in competitions. But his mother didn't like the idea and forced him to find a better career. He learned carpentry.
He graduated from his local high - Newton North High School, in the year 1985. That's when he wanted to make himself a
life in New York. Starting 1987, he began appearing on many commercials, making him famous. He managed to advertise many companies,
and one commercial was even won the Gold Lion Award at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival.
In the year 1988 he started learning formal acting. Less than a year later, a got his first starring role as Chuck Bender
in the TV series TV 101. By then, he moved to Los Angeles. He guest-starred on Red Shoe Diaries.
He also appeared on several movies, not being a real success comparing his Television career. Some of them were: The Killing
Box (1993), Ed (1996), Lookin' Italian (1998), and All The Queen's Men (1999).
In the year 1994 he jumped into the knowledge on millions around the world in the award-winning comedy Friends. He starred
there for 10 years, as Joey Tribbiani, the woman-chaser friend, who cares about his 5 friends as no-one else in the world.
Friends ended in 2004, and from there he continued to Joey, the only Friends's daughter series so far. He is again Joey
Tribbiani, who went to Hollywood to succeed in the entertainment world. Joey currently airs its 2nd season.
He was nominated for innumerable awards for his roles in Friends and in Joey, and won 3 of them: Favorite Male Television
Star in People's Choice Award (2005), TV - Choice Actor, Comedy in Teen Choice Awards (2002), and Editor's Choice (as part
of Friends) in TV Guide Awards (2000).
Matt has married Melissa McKnight on May 3, 2003, after being engaged for 5 years. They have a shared daughter, Marina
Pearl LeBlanc, who was born on February 8th, 2004. They also have two kids, Tyler and Jacquelyne, from Melissa's previous
marriage.
Lisa Kudrow
Kudos for Kudrow! Not the dumb blonde of "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion." Lisa Kudrow was born in
Encino on July 30, 1963. Her father Lee Kudrow was a physician, and her mother Nedra a travel agent. Lisa was raised in Tarzana.
Lisa played varsity-level tennis in high school and college and is a pool shark who has mastered some of the more difficult
trick shots (so beware). Lisa graduated from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, with a Bachelor of Science degree in
Biology. At first she wanted to pursue a career in research, so she returned to Los Angeles to begin working with her father.
However, Lisa got inspired to perform by one of her brother's friends, comedian Jon Lovitz. And so the tall (5'9") blond-haired,
green-eyed beauty entered show biz. Lisa auditioned for the improv theater group The Groundlings, based in Los Angeles. Cynthia
Szigeti, a well-known improv teacher, took Lisa under her wing. In that class, Lisa became a friend of Conan O'Brien. Graduating
with honors, in 1989 Lisa became a full-fledged member of The Groundlings. Breaking into TV, Lisa got a recurring role as
Ursula, the ditzy waitress on "Mad About You." This led to Lisa's starring role on "Friends." In the debut
season (1994-95) of "Friends, " Lisa earned an Emmy nomination as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series;
in 1998 she won that award for her role as Phoebe, the ditzy but lovable folk singer. Lisa has also been nominated for Golden
Globe, Screen Actors Guild and American Comedy Awards for her performances. Lisa made the transition to the silver screen
with a lot of success. In 1997 Lisa starred opposite Oscar winner Mira Sorvino in the hit comedy "Romy and Michele's
High School Reunion." Lisa garnered more praise for her work in movies when she got the New York Film Critics Award for
her starring role in "The Opposite of Sex." Lisa married Michael Stern, an advertising executive on May 27, 1995.
On May 7, 1998, they were blessed with a son, Julian Murray; they live in Los Angeles.
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David Schwimmer
If one were to base one's judgment of David Schwimmer's talent on his low-key performance as the anxious, awkward but
lovable paleontologist Ross on NBC's smash hit comedy Friends, one might never suspect that beneath the affable exterior lies
a versatile, multi-talented actor and filmmaker.
Tall, dark-haired, and lanky, Schwimmer was born in Queens, but later raised in Southern California, where he attended
the famed Beverly Hills High School. He then enrolled in Chicago's Northwestern University, where he briefly considered pursuing
his family's traditional profession and becoming a lawyer, but by that time, the acting bug had bitten him deeply and he was
committed to it. Following graduation from Northwestern, Schwimmer gained enough stage experience in Chicago theater to co-found
the Lookingglass Theatre Company with fellow actors. Schwimmer remains passionate about his involvement with the troupe and
has starred in or directed many of their productions.
In 1989, he made the first of several attempts to break into Hollywood, when he was cast as a killer in the made-for-TV
thriller A Deadly Silence. It was apparently an unpleasant experience and the young actor hastened back to the familiarity
of Lookingglass. Still, the lure of Hollywood was great and Schwimmer returned to guest star and play recurring roles on several
television series. One of his best-known early TV roles was that of Olivia D'Abo's hippie fiancé on The Wonder Years. On the
gritty crime drama NYPD Blue, he garnered critical acclaim for his portrayal of a lawyer who goes over the edge and becomes
a vigilante. He had another bad television experience when he was cast opposite Henry Winkler in Fox's sitcom Monty. The series
crashed before it got off the ground and Schwimmer swore he'd never do another comedy show. Up until 1994, he continued to
play a wide variety of roles and to divide his time between stage and television.
Despite his earlier vow, Schwimmer reluctantly accepted the role of Ross in Friends, a role that the show's creators wrote
especially for him. The series, about a group of good-looking, but rather aimless buddies in their twenties, was an immediate
hit and Schwimmer's lovable nerd character made him a star and got him an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Series
With his newfound stardom came offers for feature film roles. Though he had actually begun appearing in films in 1990,
he had, thus far, played only small roles. He made his debut as a star playing a virtual clone of Ross in the Pallbearer (1996).
He played a dramatic role as one of the inventors of silicon breast implants in the made-for-television docudrama Breast Men
(1997). Schwimmer signed a lucrative contract with Miramax that will not only star him in several pictures, but also allow
him to direct. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Jenifer Aniston
Jennifer, best-known for her role as Rachel on "Friends," was born in Sherman Oaks, California. She was exposed
to acting at an early age by her father, John Aniston, who starred for on the soap "Days of Our Lives. "
Jennifer spent a year of her childhood in Greece with her family, but relocated to New York when her father was cast in
"Love of Life." She joined the Rudolf Steiner School's drama club at age 11, and ever since then, knew she wanted
to be an actress.
Jennifer was a drama student at New York's High School of the Performing Arts, a school that was also attended by actor
Al Pacino. In 1989, she landed her first television role as a series regular on "Molloy."
Most recently, Aniston split from her husband of five years, Brad Pitt, after she suspected he had cheated on her with
his co-star Angelina Jolie. Their divorce was finalized in early October 2005. She has been rumored to be dating actor Vince
Vaughn, but insists that they are just friends.
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