Trigger warning: This article mentions death
Friends star Matt LeBlanc played soap opera star Joey while playing Drake Ramoray on Days of Our Lives. While the character had his own personality on the show, the name “Drake” was inspired by the real Days of Our Lives actor, Drake Rosenstein.
He died on Saturday, September 28, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The late actor played the iconic role of John Black on the TV show for nearly 40 years from 1946 to 2024.
In Friends, LeBlanc’s soap opera character formed a relationship with Rosenstein’s character in the actual show, leading to a story filled with character arcs, drama, and reincarnations.
One of the most hilarious storylines for Drake Ramoray was his argument with his show’s writing team, which led to him falling off an elevator, which led to the end of his role. However, JOI’s Drake Ramoray returned to the show with a fresh mind before being eliminated again.
Although Rosenstein never commented on his character replication in Friends, his co-star Alison Sweeney revealed that she watched the sitcom, especially for the character of Drake Ramoray.
He told an entertainment portal, “It was a fun story to watch on Friends and it made us laugh. It had a sense of humor about what we do and we loved it.”
Also read: Days of Our Lives spoilers: Will Xander’s deadly plot against Brady be exposed?
Meanwhile, the Days of Our Lives page announced the death of the late actor on its social media account. “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Drake Hogestyn,” the account captioned Rogestyn’s photo.
It further reads, When she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, her life faced great difficulties, but she faced the challenge with incredible strength and determination. “After fighting an incredible fight, he passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones.”
Swinney also mourned her co-star’s death, calling him an “incredible person”. He further added that the late actor used to take care of everyone on the sets. She concluded, “I will miss him dearly and will cherish every story, every joke, and every hug.”
Drake Hogestyn has four children and seven grandchildren.
Also read: What was the cause of death of Drake Hogestyn? We All Know the Days of Our Lives star dies at age 70
