'Friends' bosses didn't initially intend for Joey Tribbiani to be "stupid".
Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc in Friends
Marta Kauffman, who co-created the sitcom with her longtime friend David Crane, admitted Matt LeBlanc played dim-witted "so well" that it became part of his struggling actor character.
She said: "We didn't originally intend for Joey to be stupid, but Matt LeBlanc played stupid so well that it became part of the character.
"That's true if an actor is just starting out, or they've been around forever."
Marta believes one of the reasons the sitcom still resonates with people is because people want to "hang out" with the characters, and the show feels "warm and cosy".
Speaking on podcast 'Write On', she added: "I think these are characters who are incredibly loveable and you'd love to hang out with them and have a beer with them, and invite them into your home.
"The show is warm and cosy.
"I also think the stories remain to be universal, because they're about such a specific time in your life, but also about what it is to look for love and career and a sense of self."
This comes after Marta recently insisted 'Friends' character Ross Gellar (David Schwimmer) made a big "mistake" when he and girlfriend Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston) were "on a break".
She said: "Whether or not they were on a break, he should never have slept with that girl. That was completely his mistake."
Marta also insisted the sitcom did run some plotlines which were "ahead of its time", but she admitted they "missed" the mark in some areas.
She said: "Not to really pat ourselves on the back, but there were some things that were ahead of its time, like doing the lesbian wedding. They were very concerned about getting backlash to that, which we did not.
"I think in some ways we were trying to [be progressive and inclusive] and just … missed in some areas."
The six main cast members, Jennifer, Matt, David, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, and Matthew Perry recently reunited on screen together for the 'Friends: The Reunion' TV special for the first time since the show ended in 2004.
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