An actor from the hit show Friends died Sunday due to complications with advanced prostate cancer, his manager revealed in a statement.
James Michael Tyler, known for his role as Gunther, the “Central Perk” manager, on the hit TV show Friends, was 59 and had been fighting cancer for over three years. Tyler was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2018 during a routine checkup, according to manager Toni Benson.
“The world knew him as Gunther (the seventh ‘Friend’), from the hit series ‘Friends,’ but Michael’s loved ones knew him as an actor, musician, cancer-awareness advocate, and loving husband,” Benson told the Associated Press. “Michael loved live music, cheering on his Clemson Tigers, and would often find himself in fun and unplanned adventures.”
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Tyler was working as a barista when he was cast as Gunther and was intended to serve as only a recurring background character. However, the role grew, and Gunther had his own plot and personality introduced, including an unrequited infatuation with Rachel Green, played by Jennifer Aniston. Gunther was featured in 150 of the show’s 236 episodes.
“Friends would not have been the same without you,” Aniston wrote on Instagram. “Thank you for the laughter you brought to the show and to all of our lives. You will be so missed.”
Other colleagues from Friends also mourned the actor, with actor Matt LeBlanc taking to Instagram to share a brief eulogy.
“We had a lot of laughs buddy. You will be missed. RIP my friend,” LeBlanc wrote. Tyler guest-starred on an episode of LeBlanc’s show Episodes in 2012.
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After his diagnosis, Tyler became an advocate for early testing for cancer and documented his journey with the disease via Instagram.
Tyler died at his home in Los Angeles and is survived by his wife, Jennifer Carno.
