James Michael Tyler, who is most famous for his role as Gunther in ‘Friends,’ died at the age of 59 on Sunday. The cause was stage four prostate cancer which had spread into his bones.
“The world knew him as Gunther,” his family said in a statement. “But Michael’s loved ones knew him as an actor, musician, cancer-awareness advocate, and a loving husband. Michael loved live music, cheering on his Clemson Tigers, and would often find himself in fun and unplanned adventures. If you met him once you made a friend for life.”
Tyler was diagnosed with the cancer in 2018, but he only announced it in an interview with NBC in June 2021, shortly after the ‘Friends: The Reunion’ special, hosted by James Corden, aired in May. Tyler, whose character held down a job as the manager of Central Perk, where the titular friends get their coffee, appeared via video chat in the special but decided not to appear in person.
Speaking over Zoom call, Tyler said: “It was the most memorable 10 years of my life, honestly. I could not have imagined just a better experience. All these guys were fantastic and just a joy to work with. It felt very, very special.”
In the NBC interview, he revealed the reason he decided not to show up on set with the main cast. “I wanted to be a part of [the special],” he said, “and initially I was going to be on the stage, at least, with them, and be able to take part in the festivities.
“It was bittersweet, honestly. I was very happy to be included. It was my decision not to be a part of that physically and make an appearance on Zoom, basically because I didn’t wanna bring a downer on it, you know? … I didn’t want it to be like, ‘Oh, and by the way, Gunther has cancer.’”
The character of Gunther harbored a secret crush on Jennifer Aniston’s character, Rachel Green, for the majority of the show’s decade-spanning run. Both Aniston and co-star Courtney Cox, who played Green’s childhood friend, Monica Geller, posted tribute messages on Instagram in memory of Tyler.
“Friends would not have been the same without you. Thank you for the laughter you brought to the show and to all of our lives. You will be so missed,” Aniston wrote.
Cox posted shortly after, “The size of gratitude you brought into the room and showed every day on set is the size of the gratitude I hold for having known you. Rest in peace, James.”
The iconic peroxide blonde hair sported by Gunther was the result of an accident. Just before his ‘Friends’ audition, one of Tyler’s friends, who was training to become a hairdresser, was practicing on Tyler’s head but the producers of the show liked the look so much they decided to keep it.
However, he didn’t get to speak in the show until he had made 33 appearances as an extra. He proved to be a mainstay, with many fans now regarding him as the ‘seventh Friend.’
