Matt LeBlanc’s Days of Our Lives character in Friends was named after late soap star Drake Hogestyn

Late soap opera star Drake Hogestyn, known for his memorable on-screen presence, was even parodied on Friends. In the popular NBC sitcom, which follows six friends navigating life in New York, Matt LeBlanc’s character, Joey Tribbiani, gained fame for his role on a fictional version of Days of Our Lives. Hogestyn, who passed away at 70 on September 28 after battling pancreatic cancer, portrayed John Black in the real Days of Our Lives for nearly four decades, from 1986 to 2024. On Friends, Joey’s soap opera character, Dr. Drake Ramoray, was believed to be named after Hogestyn.


Like his real-life counterpart, Ramoray's character arc was filled with over-the-top drama, though it was only seen in short clips throughout the show. Joey’s role as Ramoray led to various comedic moments, including one where he upset the show's writers by claiming he wrote his own lines. In retaliation, the writers scripted Ramoray’s dramatic fall down an elevator shaft. The character later returned with a new brain, only to meet his end again after being stabbed by a nurse.




Although Drake Hogestyn never publicly addressed the Friends character that shared his name, his Days of Our Lives co-star Alison Sweeney, who played Sami Brady, shared her thoughts in an interview with CinemaBlend in February. Sweeney revealed that she and her fellow cast members would tune in "every week that Joey was on Days of Our Lives."


She said, "It was such a fun ongoing story to watch on Friends, and it made us laugh. It had such a great sense of humor about what we do, and we loved it," said Sweeney, now 48. Sweeney herself made a brief appearance on Friends, fittingly cast as an actress in the fictional soap opposite Joey. On Saturday, Days of Our Lives announced Hogestyn's passing, sharing a heartfelt message from his family on social media: "It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Drake Hogestyn. After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he faced the challenge with incredible strength and determination. After a courageous battle, he passed peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones."