Matt LeBlanc Faced a Serious Health Scare Just Before ‘Friends’ Co-Star Matthew Perry Passed Away

Friends actor Matthew Perry's passing is tragic for fans everywhere, and it certainly won't be easy on his on-screen best friend Matt LeBlanc. 

The 54-year-old actor, who gained popularity for playing the sardonic Chandler Bing in the popular comedy, was discovered dead from what appeared to be a drowning, per NBC News. For Matt LeBlanc, who played the ladies' man Joey on the show, this death is among a long list of personal heartbreaks in years after Friends. Before Perry's passing, LeBlanc struggled with a health scare within the family, per The Things.

Just after Friends concluded and the spin-off Joey failed to take off, the actor also learned that his daughter, Marina, had cortical dysplasia, a brain condition that impairs neurological processes. LeBlanc, at this point, took a step back from the film industry. “My daughter was diagnosed with a brain problem. It was a very dark period, but we were able to get through it — don’t they say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger?” he said. “I didn’t feel like being funny. I had a lot going on in my personal life. I knew I wasn’t missing out on anything. I had dabbled with the celebrity world," he continued.

LeBlanc opened up about nothing fulfilling him there. "I’d partied a bit. But there wasn’t anything there that could fulfill me. I mean, I have beers in the fridge at home,” he said.

Luckily, Marina's condition has significantly improved now, and we can only assume that after going through such a trying time, Matt LeBlanc's mental health has also improved greatly. 

LeBlanc had previously dealt with mental health struggles too, when after being associated with Friends for so long, the show ended, leaving him completely lost, per The Mirror. LeBlanc revealed, "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. 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’. It was a very dark time. I almost had a nervous breakdown."

Fortunately for his admirers, LeBlanc was able to carry on with his career, which included starring in the miniseries Episodes as himself. LeBlanc was able to drastically alter his professional trajectory while still enjoying great success in the program.

LeBlanc also opened up about Hollywood not always being a kind place. During an interview with What To Watch, he opened up, "For all of us it has been an honor to say all these words for all these years. It’s the bravery that writers David (Crane) and Geoffrey (Klarik) have shown in writing something that’s slightly exaggerated here and there, but for the most part right on the money. Hollywood is an awful place to try to make a living sometimes and they’ve really underlined certain things that are really funny about it."