Meet Matt LeBlanc Kids, Stepchildren and Family Members

Posted by Zora Stowers on Friday, May 17, 2024

Matt LeBlanc has only one biological child, a daughter named Marina Pearl LeBlanc, but he also has two stepchildren named Tyler Esposito and Jacquelyn Esposito from his first wife Melissa McKnight.

Though he only has one biological child, Matt LeBlanc is blessed with a big blended family, thanks to his first wife, Melissa McKnight, who came into his life with two children from her previous marriage to Anthony Esposito. Matt LeBlanc is an American actor, comedian, and television producer known for his role as Joey Tribbiani in NBC’s sitcom Friends, through which he got his own spin-off, Joey.

The award-winning actor also made another popular appearance in Man with a Plan and served as co-host on Top Gear from 2016 to 2019. The major reason Matt LeBlanc left his Top Gear gig was to spend more time with his daughter, whom he loves dearly. He took a break from his acting activities to make sure he had ample time for those he considered to be his family.

How Many Kids Does Matt LeBlanc Have?

Matt LeBlanc has only one biological child and that is his daughter with Melissa McKnight. He met Missy McKnight, as she is fondly called, in 1997 through his friend Kelly Philips (the wife of Lou Diamond Phillips). The couple began dating and got married a few years later.

While the marriage didn’t last, it produced one child, a daughter named Marina Pearl LeBlanc, whom the actor loves so dearly.

Marina Pearl LeBlanc is Matt LeBlanc’s Daughter

  • Full name: Marina Pearl LeBlanc
  • Gender: Female
  • Date of birth: February 8, 2004
  • Marina Pearl LeBlanc’s Age: 19 years old
  • Ethnicity: multiracial
  • Nationality: American
  • Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
  • Sexual Orientation: Straight
  • Religion: Christianity
  • Marital Status: Single
  • Marina Pearl LeBlanc’s Parents: Matt LeBlanc and Melissa McKnight
  • Siblings: Tyler and Jacquelyn Esposito (half-siblings)
  • Famous for: being the only child of Matt LeBlanc

Mariana Pearl LeBlanc (Born: February 8, 2004, Age: 19) is popularly known as the daughter of Matt LeBlanc, born during his marriage to Melissa McKnight.

Now 19 years old, Marina was born in California, in the United States of America. The celebrity child was born when her father’s career and popularity reached a zenith point, thus, the spotlight followed her from birth.

Aside from her father, who is a renowned Hollywood actor, Mariana’s mother, Melissa McKnight, is an actress and model. McKnight is known for her numerous roles on TV, including in Triangles and Tribulations, VH1: Access, and more.

Through her parents, Marina inherited a multiracial background consisting of French, Italian, British, and Acadian. Born to celebrity parents, Marina’s childhood was mostly kept private, and that included any details about her educational background. She is probably in college now, but the finer details are not public knowledge.

Careerwise, Marina is yet to follow a particular path, at least to the best of public knowledge. Many have wondered if she is an actress like her parents, but that is not the case. For now, Marina has not forged a career path for herself, but she has shown signs of joining the entertainment industry. According to her father, during an interview with People magazine, Marina is deeply interested in horses and Rihanna. She is so obsessed with the singer and wishes to have her at one of her birthday celebrations.

Marina’s father also shared that she loves singing and is gifted with a nice voice. She has also been attending auditions for talent shows which her father helps her with practice. Matt LeBlanc once shared how he was forced to practice a pop song he didn’t even know about to help his daughter get ready for her audition.

Matt LeBlanc’s Daughter, Marina Pearl LeBlanc, Suffered From a Rare Disease

Marina Pearl was born a healthy baby in 2004, and according to Matt LeBlanc, the moment he set his eyes upon her, he fell in love with the child. At the moment, he knew there was nothing that could make him love her less. It was this unwavering love that led Matt to pay more attention to his daughter, which caused him to notice something odd.

When Marina was about eight months old, her father noticed she was always falling on her side while trying to crawl. She was later diagnosed with a form of dysplasia that targets the brain and motor skills. Doctors warned that the child would be affected by the disease in her vocal abilities, and she might not be able to walk properly. Subsequently, Marina suffered seizures at that young age.

However, after an intensive treatment that lasted for about a year, Marina recovered. By the time she was two years old, the sickness was behind her, and she grew up to be healthy. There is no way to know what the celebrity child is up to in recent times as she has no social media presence and hardly makes public appearances aside from the few time she has been spotted with her father.

Matt LeBlanc Also Has Two Stepchildren

In addition to his daughter, Marina Pearl LeBlanc, Matt also has stepchildren, thanks to his marriage to their mother Melissa McKnight. Before she married the Friends star, Missy McKnight was the wife of a man named Anthony Esposito, with who she welcomed a son Tyler and a daughter Jacquelyn.

After getting married to Matt, the family blended into one, and Matt LeBlanc loved Tyler and Jacquelyn as if they were his own. Even after his marriage to Melissa ended, he still maintained contact with his stepchildren.

Tyler Esposito

  • Full Name: Tyler Esposito
  • Gender: Male
  • Date of Birth: 1991
  • Tyler Esposito’s Age: 32 years old
  • Nationality: American
  • Sexual Orientation: Straight
  • Religion: Christianity
  • Tyler Esposito’s Parents: Melissa McKnight (mother), Anthony Esposito (father)
  • Siblings: Jacqueline Esposito (sister), Marina Pearl LeBlanc (half-sister)
  • Occupation: Sound Engineer
  • Famous for: Being Mellissa McKnight’s son

Tyler Esposito (born in 1991) is the first child of Melissa McKnight. He was born one year after her parents got married in 1990. Melissa had him with her first husband, Anthony Esposito, to whom she was married to from 1990 to 1996. Tyler shared his childhood with a sister who was born 4 years after his birth.

Nothing is known about the educational background of Tyler Esposito, but he seems to be a professional in the showbiz industry. As earlier stated, Matt LeBlanc has continued to keep a close bond with his stepchildren even after his marriage to their mother ended. It is only his link to LeBlanc that keeps Tyler Esposito in the spotlight.

Aside from that, he is barely known publicly. The little we know about Tyler reveals that he has followed the career path of a sound engineer. He currently works in that capacity in a recording studio in the United States.

The personal life of Tyler Esposito, including details of who he is dating or married to, has not been made public. He is possibly married or still enjoying a single life. He could also be in a committed relationship as he is within that age range when people strive to find love. Sadly, we can’t confirm anything about Tyler’s love life or if Mat LeBlanc now has step-grandkids through him.

Jacqueline Esposito

  • Full Name: Jacqueline Esposito
  • Gender: Female
  • Date of Birth: 1995
  • Jacqueline Esposito’s Age: 28 years old
  • Nationality: American
  • Sexual Orientation: Straight
  • Religion: Christianity
  • Jacqueline Esposito’s Parents: Melissa McKnight (mother), Anthony Esposito (father)
  • Siblings: Tyler Esposito (brother), Marina Pearl LeBlanc (half-sister)
  • Occupation: Fashion designer
  • Famous for: Being Mellissa McKnight’s daughter

Jacqueline Esposito (born in 1995) is the second child born to Melissa McKnight and her father Anthony Esposito. Just like her older brother, she was born during their mother’s marriage to her first husband, and while her brother was born a year after the marriage began, Jacqueline was born a year before it ended. Her parents ended their marriage in 1996, after which her mother met and married LeBlanc.

Following his marriage to their mother, Matt took Jacqueline and her brother as his own and showered them with love. That love still lives on among them. Matt is often seen sharing how proud he is of the achievements of his stepchildren. He calls Jaqueline a hard worker, saying he is proud of her following her graduation from the Fashion Institute of Technology New York – FIT. She is carving a career in the fashion industry as a designer, and her graduation from FIT in 2016 certified her as a professional.

Like her brother Tyler, Jaqueline’s personal life details have been kept away from public scrutiny. The designer has not been in the spotlight much, despite being related to Hollywood celebrities. Thus, we can’t confirm if she has been married before or if she is currently in a relationship.

Who was Matt LeBlanc’s First Wife, Melissa McKnight?

  • Full name: Melissa Sue McKnight
  • Nickname: Missy McKnight
  • Gender: Female
  • Date of birth: March 10, 1965
  • Melissa McKnight’s Age: 58 years old
  • Ethnicity: White
  • Nationality: British-American
  • Zodiac Sign: Pisces
  • Sexual Orientation: Straight
  • Religion: Christianity
  • Marital Status: Divorced
  • Melissa McKnight’s Ex-Husband: Anthony Esposito (1990–1996), Matt LeBlanc (2003-2006)
  • Melissa McKnight’s Children: Tyler Esposito, Jacqueline Esposito, and Marina Pearl LeBlanc
  • Melissa McKnight’s Height in Inches: 5 feet 9 inches
  • Melissa McKnight’s Height in Centimetres: 173cm
  • Melissa McKnight’s Weight: 53 kg
  • Melissa McKnight’s Net worth: $60,000
  • Famous for: as the ex-wife of Matt LeBlanc

Melissa McKnight is a British-born model who doubles as an actress. She is the first woman Matt LeBlanc married. Popularly known as Missy McKnight, Melissa was born in 1965 in the United Kingdom. Her date of birth makes her two years older than Matt. She spent her formative years in her home country before her family moved to the United States, where she naturalized and became a citizen. She now identifies as British-American.

Melissa is probably well-educated, but she has not shared the details with the public. For her career, she began her journey as a model, working with big names like Elle magazine, Cosmopolitan, and Vogue, as well as New York City’s Elite Models. She has appeared on the cover of popular magazines and also headlined beauty campaigns.

As an actress, Melissa is not as successful as her ex-husband, Matt LeBlanc, but she has made an impact. She is an actress known for her roles in Triangles and Tribulations, VH1: All Access, and the 31st Annual People’s Choice Awards in 2005.

Matt LeBlanc and Melissa McKnight were Married For About Three Years

Matt LeBlanc met his ex-wife in 1997 through a mutual friend. They were introduced to each other by Kelly Phillips, the wife of actor Lou Diamond Phillips. Matt and Melissa liked each other at first sight and began dating. The relationship blossomed into a proposal, and subsequently, they got married.

The couple’s wedding was a private affair attended by about 150 guests, comprising of LeBlanc’s Friends costars Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, and Lisa Kudrow. The wedding took place on May 3, 2003, on an oceanfront bluff in Kauai, Hawaii.

Melissa was 38 years old when she welcomed her first child with LeBlanc. Marina Pearl LeBlanc was born on February 3rd, 2004, to the Hollywood power couple while the family settled down to raise her in Encino, California. However, in October 2006, what seemed like a happy home with a perfect match came to an end following the divorce that ensued between Matt and Melissa. Infidelity on the part of LaBlanc was said to be the reason behind the split, but there seems to be more to it.

The Real Reason LeBlanc’s Marriage Crashed

Matt LaBlanc’s adulterous acts have been given as the major reason his marriage ended. He would often visit strip clubs and hook up with other women. Before their divorce became a reality in 2006, LaBlanc was accused of cheating on her, and he later rendered an apology for that.

Though their divorce was far from pleasant, the former couple is on good terms with each other. What’s more, they have found a way to co-parent their three children, especially Marina, who was still very young at the time of the divorce.

According to The Mirror, Matt LeBlanc, following his divorce, has decided that married life is not his thing after all. This might be true, considering he’s yet to get married again since his first one ended. However, he has been linked to a few women, including Andrea Anders (2006–2015) and Aurora Mulligan (2016–2022).

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