Who is Melissa McKnight – Matt LeBlanc’s Ex-Wife? 5 Facts You Must Know

Quick Facts

Melissa McKnight is a former model, actress, and mother of three. Two words could be used to describe her: Wonder Woman. Despite her divorce and the health challenge her last daughter experienced as an infant, Melissa went through it without losing her mind and making herself a subject of caricature by the media and her fans. How did she do all this you might ask? While we may not have all the answers, we encourage you to read as we share 5 important facts about her.

Who Is Melissa McKnight – LeBlanc’s Ex-Wife?

Melissa McKnight was born March 10, 1965, in England and while she may be English by birth, her family moved to the US when she was much tender and so she acquired the United States citizenship at that young age. She has three children.

Apart from being known as a model, Melissa McKnight is popularly known as Matt LeBlanc’s ex-wife. They got married in 2003 and divorced in 2006. As a model, she has featured in several beauty campaigns for top brands. Melissa is also known for her role in 2001 movie Triangles and Tribulations.

Here Are 5 Facts You Should Know

1. Married-Divorce-Married

Melissa and LeBlanc met for the first time in 1997 through Lou Diamond Philips and his wife, Kelly Philips. Their flame grew into something remarkable and in 1998, they got engaged. The couple tied the knot five years later, this was in 2003. However, the union was officially dissolved in a divorce in October 2006.

Before her marriage to LeBlanc, Melissa McKnight was married before and had two children in the marriage. She was first married to the filmmaker, Anthony Esposito. The names of the kids are Tyler Esposito and Jacqueline Esposito.

Her marriage is said to have failed due to lack of time and effort from both parties. Melissa McKnight has remained rather silent since her divorce from Matt LeBlanc, keeping her personal life and that of her kids’ private far away from the media.

2. Incessant Infidelity

Melissa and LeBlanc separated because of his continuous issues with infidelity. LeBlanc constantly cheated on his wife according to reports. He even made a show of himself at a club with a stripper. His refusal to stop cheating on her repeatedly became unbearable for Melissa prompting her decision to end their 3-year marriage.

3. Joint Custody

Melissa still maintains a cordial relationship with ex-husband LeBlanc. They have joint custody of their daughter Marina Pearl LeBlanc who was born in 2004. She spends a few weeks with her dad and then returns home to her mum. LeBlanc in an interview stated she (Marina) is the best thing that has ever happened to him and he doesn’t mind her smashing his Ferrari as he will always love her. Despite his busy schedule, actor LeBlanc still finds out time to go horse riding, hiking and other fun activities with his daughter.

4. Her Daughter’s Health Challenge

Melissa’s last child and daughter with Matt LeBlanc, Marina suffered from a rare disease associated with the brain. She had regular seizures as an eight months old infant. Her health was managed and by the time she was two years old, she had overcome the neuronal disease. Leblanc recalls that those two years were the toughest seasons of his life.

5. Who is Matt LeBlanc?

Matt Leblanc is an American actor, show host, comedian, and also the ex-husband of Melissa McKnight. Matt is of French-Canadian and Italian descent and attended Newton North High School. His first TV appearance was in 1987 for Heinz tomato ketchup commercial. In 1988, he stirred in his first ever show known as TV101. In 1991, he starred in Married With Children and in 1992 Vinnie and Bobby was released.

LeBlanc’s break came after a role in the TV drama series Friends. He was nominated for three Prime Time Awards, three Golden Globe awards and one Screen Actors Guild Award. In 1994, he was featured in Lookin’ Italian, and in 2000, The Charlie’s Angels.

In 2006 after his divorce, Leblanc took a break from the big screen and returned after five years. After his return in 2011, he won the 2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a TV Series comedy for his performance in Episodes, a BBC series in which he played a fictional version of himself. He won the award a year after the beginning of the series.

The same 2012, Matt LeBlanc became a presenter in Top Gear together with Chris Evans. He signed a 2-year contract in 2016 and at the expiration of the contract in May 2018, he resigned, stating that the show makes him travel a lot leaving him little or no time left to spend with family and friends.

Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.