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‘Friends’ Stars Mourn Gunther Actor James Michael Tyler

Following the tragic news that actor James Michael Tyler passed away at the age of 59 from stage 4 prostate cancer, his fellow Friends castmates are now mourning the loss. 

Upon hearing the announcement, Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel Green on the hit series, took to her Instagram a special tribute to her Friends co-star. “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  #JamesMichaelTyler 💔.”

Matt LeBlanc, who starred as Joey Tribbiani, also shared his love for Tyler. “We had a lot of laughs buddy. You will be missed. RIP my friend.”

David Schwimmer, who is known for his role as Ross Gellar on Friends, wrote, “James, thank you for playing such a wonderful, unforgettable role in Friends and for being such a big hearted gentleman and all around mensch off screen. You will be missed, buddy. #JamesMichaelTyler

Lisa Kudrow, who played Phoebe Buffay, stated, “James Michael Tyler, we will miss you. Thank you for being there for us all. #jamesmichealtyler.”

Courteney Cox, who took on the role of Monica Gellar on Friends, devoted a post on Instagram to Tyler. “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. ♥️”

Tyler starred on Friends as the general manager of the Central Perk coffee shop. He appeared in more than 150 episodes on the series, which ran for 10 seasons in the ’90s and early ’00s.

Representative Of ‘Friends’ Castmate Issues Statement About His Passing 

On Sunday (October 24th), James Michael Tyler’s representative, Toni Benson, announced the actor’s passing. “The world knew him as Gunther, the seventh friend from the hit series Friends. But Michael’s loved ones knew him an actor, musician, cancer-awareness advocate, and loving husband” 

Benson also revealed that the actor also loved 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.”

Friends co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane also issued a statement to CNN. They wrote that Tyler was a “genuinely, kind, sweet man.”

“When he started as an extra on Friends, his unique spirit caught our eye. And we knew we had to make him a character. He made Gunther’s unrequited love incredibly relatable. Our heart goes out to his wife, Jennifer Carno.”

Warner Bro. Television also took to Twitter to announce the studio is mourning the loss of the actor as well. “Warner Bros. Television mourns the loss of James Michael Tyler, a beloved actor and integral part of our FRIENDS family. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues, and fans.