Matt LeBlanc

Born: 25 July 1967
Where: Newton, Massachusetts

Fame hasn't come easy for Matt. Born in the working-class town of Newton, he grew up in a small apartment with his single mother. Love may have been in abundance, but money and luxury were minimal.

An early hobby involved bikes as he received his first motorcycle at the age of 8 and entered amateur races with hopes of reaching the professional level.

But his mum had other ideas; she put an immediate stop to his racing career, insisting that he find other outlets for his talent.

After completing an apprenticeship in carpentry, Matt decided he wanted to explore his artistic side and headed for New York.

He soon caught the eye of a commercial agent and appeared in ads for Doritos, Levi's 501 jeans and Heinz ketchup - remember that guy with a hotdog who caught the sauce dripping from 10 stories up?

He was instantly drawn to acting and began training to master the craft, making his debut in a TV series and following with a succession of sitcom guest appearances, which lead to a Married With Children spin-off, Top of the Heap.

Ultimately, it would be the call to audition for a series about a group of twenty-somethings that would lead Matt to real success. Now in its sixth season (with plans of a seventh), Friends has become a pop-culture institution.

His new found fame led to roles on the big screen: He has appeared in the family comedy Ed as well as the sci-fi hit Lost In Space.