The Story Behind How Friends’ Joey Was Inspired By A Blossom Character

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In 2024, the beloved sitcom “Friends” marked its 30th anniversary, yet despite the passage of time, it continues to rank among the greatest TV shows ever. This enduring popularity is due in part to the relatable and humorous characters that the show created. Some episodes of “Friends” are so ridiculous they’re hard to believe, with several of the most outrageous moments courtesy of Matt LeBlanc’s character Joey Tribbiani. Interestingly enough, Joey was modeled after a character from the show “Blossom.

Four years prior to the debut of “Friends” on NBC, the sitcom “Blossom,” headlined by Mayim Bialik, first aired. This ’90s network TV show ran for several seasons before wrapping up, around the same time “Friends” premiered. However, it had already left an impression, particularly on Matt LeBlanc. Joey Lawrence, who played Blossom’s older brother, Joey Russo, shared with Us Weekly that LeBlanc often watched “Blossom” rehearsals and jotted down notes on Lawrence’s performance as inspiration for his character in “Friends.

For several weeks, he would often occupy seats in the audience during our practice sessions, primarily to observe me portraying the character of Joey Russo on stage.

The two Joey characters in the sitcoms share more than just a name. Besides their first name, they are both not the sharpest tools in their friendship circles. Additionally, they are popular with the opposite sex, each having their distinct catchphrases. However, it’s important to note that these two Joey characters aren’t carbon copies of each other; they differ in age and have individual interests.

It’s no surprise that Matt LeBlanc chose to attend filming sessions, given the striking resemblance between his character and Joey Lawrence’s. In fact, you could say LeBlanc made a wise decision by observing Russo’s portrayal, as Joey Tribbiani is often seen as one of the standout aspects of Friends. During an interview, Lawrence further discussed his method for playing Russo and how it contrasts with LeBlanc’s interpretation of Tribbiani.

As a fan looking back, it seems they requested a 25-year-old portrayal for the character, but at that time I was just 15. Matt is definitely older than me, yet they chose to depict the character that way. On Friends, he played Joey Tribbiani who had an attractive-women-focused persona; however, for my version of Joey Russo, it needed to be more about youthful admiration rather than being overtly lecherous. While Chandler (LeBlanc) certainly took the character to new heights and received Emmys, I’ve never been so fortunate.

It’s quite common for an actor to draw inspiration from various sources when creating a character. As a fan, I find it fascinating to uncover the origins of Joey Tribbiani, and it adds a delightful link between two enjoyable series. It’s hard to imagine that Friends’ Joey might have been portrayed differently if not for Blossom’s Joey. Of course, LeBlanc is an accomplished actor, so there’s always a possibility he could have developed his character in another way without having watched the mentioned teen sitcom.

For ‘Friends’ enthusiasts, it’s highly recommended to consider subscribing to HBO Max! Notably, their affordable ad-supported plan begins at only $9.99 per month. Plus, you can enjoy savings of up to 20% by prepaying for a year. Check out the deal here!

The beloved show “Blossom” continues to captivate fans even today, with talks of a potential revival swirling for quite some time. However, these discussions ultimately fizzled out and the series never received a second chance. Given the current trend of reboots and resurrections in media, it’s possible that someone might find a way to bypass bureaucratic barriers to bring it back to life once more.

In terms of the two Joey characters, fans might have their preferences, but both Joey Lawrence from “Gimme a Break!” and Matt LeBlanc from “Friends” have made significant marks in TV history. If you’re interested in watching “Friends,” you should consider subscribing to HBO Max and streaming it. Moving forward, I can’t help but associate Tribbiani with Russo in my mind.

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2025-09-03 04:11