Friends propelled its cast members to overnight stardom when the sitcom first came out. But the impeccable performances of the actors crossed the borders of time and continued to entertain people for decades. Every time fans debate about the best comedy shows, this drama takes one of the top spots on the list. And the credit goes to its cast members, who left a never-fading impression on audiences. But if fans ever get to imagine their replacement, would they think of someone else? For most, it might be unthinkable, but they almost got another Joey Tribbiani during the casting time.

Today, fans famously know Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani, who stole the show more often on Friends. Fans regard this character as a true gem of the modern generation who preserved his inner child. Though Joey was not the smartest cookie in the jar, he was indeed the funniest. From his “How you doing?” catchphrase to the spirit of taking rejections positively made him a fan-favorite forever.

But the audience might have never got to watch Matt’s version of this iconic character if Vince Vaughn got cast in the show. The American actor has become famous for his starring roles in various shows and films over the years. However, back in the 1990s, he was just a young aspiring actor trying to get into show business.

So the Jurassic Park star tried out for the part of Joey Tribbiani and even wowed the casting director. Despite having all the qualities this role required, Vaughn did not get cast because creators thought Matt LeBlanc was born to play the character. Well, fans could not agree more on this thing considering the cult following this character garnered.

Joey Tribbiani of Friends got his own spin-off series 

Friends concluded after its ten years run because of the growing age of the key characters in the show. But Matt LeBlanc continued his journey as Joey Tribbiani in a spin-off show. Created by Scott Silveri, Joey followed the life of the namesake character who moved to Hollywood to chase his passion for acting.

The show included his high-strung sister, Gina, a hairdresser, and genius twenty-year-old nephew Michael. Sadly, this sitcom did not turn out successful as its predecessor and it got canceled after two seasons only due to low ratings.

Can you think of Vince Vaughn in place of Matt LeBlanc? Let us know in the comments below.