Matt LeBlanc Calls First Golden Globes Win ‘Gravy’ In Post-‘Friends’ Life

Although he’d been nominated over the years for his role as Joey on “Friends,” and Joey on “Joey,” it was his role as himself on Showtime’s “Episodes” that finally landed Matt LeBlanc a Golden Globe on Sunday.

“This is [my] fourth nomination and first win,” Matt told Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush backstage on Sunday night at the ceremony.

“It’s great,” Matt added of picking up the statue for playing a fictionalized version of himself on the show, opposite Brits Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig. “I can’t say enough about the writing. I mean, it’s really David Crain and Jeffrey Klaric. The writers on that show are just so brilliantly gifted.”

“Every word counts,” Billy chimed in.

“Yeah, there’s no fat on it. It’s so streamlined and good and jokes drive [the] story and develop character,” Matt said. “It’s just really, really well drafted.”

In Showtime’s “Episodes,” Matt plays a fictional version of himself, who decides — in order to make a bit of extra money so he can open a restaurant — he’ll sign on for a show penned by Stephen and Tamsin’s characters – Sean and Beverly Lincoln. The Lincoln family isn’t exactly happy that Matt is playing the lead in their show (which is being translated from a fictional highbrow British comedy), nor are they happy with the way the faux network is handling things.

So did the change of pace after “Friends” with “Episodes” make Matt’s win sweeter?

“It’s really hard to compare this to ‘Friends,’” Matt told Billy. “’Friends’ was such a once in a lifetime thing… To be one of those six actors on that show was something I’ll never forget as long as I live. Everything else, the rest of my career, I look at it as just gravy. I mean it’s not supposed to get that good – ever — and it did. And the now the fact that I can go work on something else to make this happen? I can’t wait to see my mom give her a big hug and say, ‘Look at this!’”

Filming for Season 2 is in full swing and after the major cliffhanger at the end of Season 1 — (SPOILER ALERT) the show the Lincolns were writing got picked up stateside just as they were ready to head back to London, and right after Sean found out about his wife’s infidelity with Matt thanks to some cinnamon-scented Joey cologne — the actor said things are heating up.

“This second season is bigger and broader and funnier than last year. It’s going to be funny,” he said.