Former model Melissa McKnight is a multi-talented woman, who starred in the movie Triangles and Tribulations and the TV Series VH1: All Access. She also appeared in the 31st Annual People’s Choice Awards.

Besides her career, she gained recognition for her marriage. She was married to Matt LeBlanc, famously known as Joey Tribbiani from Friends

Read on for an in-depth insight into her life with her former husband and children. 

Melissa McKnight Modeled From Young Age

McKnight was born on March 10, 1965, in England — she moved to the United States at a young age. Thus, she is English by birth and an American by nationality. 

The gorgeous blonde with blue eyes and perfect physique had everything it took to be a model. 

After entering the field at a young age, she established herself as one of the top models of the 80s and 90s, where she appeared as the face of the biggest fashion magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Elle, Vogue, and many more.

The British-American model transitioned as an actress in the early millennium and appeared in a few feature films. 

However, the former model's background, including details of her parents, siblings, and education, is off the media. That being said, it is known that her age is 57 as of this time of writing.

Melissa McKnight Has Married Twice Including Matt LeBlanc

McKnight was first married to filmmaker Anthony Esposito. From the marriage, she became the mom of two children — Tyler Esposito and Jacqueline Esposito.

Sadly, the marriage didn’t last, and the couple parted ways. 

After the divorce, she met the famous Friends star LeBlanc in 1997. The model met him through their mutual friend, Kelly Phillips, and her husband Lou Diamond Phillips.

From dating to being engaged in just a year, the couple's relationship progressed fast.

Five years later, they had one of the biggest celebrity weddings in Hawaii. The guest list included 150 people, including Matt's castmates from Friends along with their spouses.

Melissa McKnight with her ex husband Matt LeBlanc.

McKnight with her ex husband Matt LeBlanc. (Photo: Twitter)

The union was the first for the Friends actor. He could not stop gushing about how his wife made his life a little more stable.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly before their marriage, LeBlanc stated:

Relationship with McKnight and her children gave me stability. They’re great kids. It’s been a fantastic experience. I’m very grateful for them in my life. Because before them, I was out at the bars, I was chasing chicks all over the place, I had kind of a reputation.

The couple experienced true marital bliss when they were blessed with a baby daughter, Marina Pearl McKnight, in 2004. 

Melissa and Matt LeBlanc's Daughter Had Rare Brain Ailment 

11 months after their daughter's arrival, an incident left the LeBlanc family shaken.

Their daughter was diagnosed with a rare brain disorder called Cortical Dysplasia, a congenital problem that causes seizures.

An old picture of Matt LeBlanc and his daughter Marina Pearl LeBlanc.

An old picture of Matt LeBlanc and his daughter Marina Pearl LeBlanc. (Photo: Instagram)

After a year-long treatment, their daughter became healthier, and it seemed like the couple had weathered the storm. However, that was not the case.

Melissa McKnight and Matt LeBlanc's Divorce

After one broken marriage, McKnight had the ignominy of facing a similar fate again in her life.

Her husband, who had a reputation of being a womanizer, reportedly resorted to his old habits of wandering into bars.

He was spotted groping a stripper at an all-nude club while vacationing with his five buddies in British Columbia.

Though the actor later apologized to his wife, the damage was done.

The final nail in the coffin was the actor's extramarital affair with his co-star, Andrea Anders. 

Therefore, he and McKnight eventually filed for divorce in March 2006, which was completed in the same year in September. 

The duo waved off any spousal support claims, but the Friends actor, who has a net worth of $80 million, agreed to pay a monthly sum until his daughter turned 18.

What Is Melissa McKnight Doing Today? 

After the divorce, she and LeBlanc took joint custody of Marina. Both of them are looking after their daughter.

Marina hasn’t been in the spotlight these days. McKnight is notoriously private about her private life and hasn't let her family or her kids be the subjects of media.

On the other hand, McKnight's ex spouse LeBlanc started dating actress and Irish TV producer, Aurora Mulligan. The duo split in 2020.