The actor was a regular fixture on the sitcom.
James Michael Tyler, known for playing gruff coffee shop owner Gunther on Friends, has died following a battle with prostate cancer.
He was 59 years of age.
Tyler died on Sunday morning in his Los Angeles home, as confirmed by the Hollywood Reporter.
“If you met him once you made a friend for life,” his manager Toni Benson told the publication.
Tyler was a regular fixture on Friends over the years, standing out in the background role of Central Perk boss Gunther, who would often offer comedically questionable pearls of wisdom when he wasn’t pining over Rachel.
Reacting to the news, Jennifer Aniston noted that Friends “would not have been the same” without Tyler’s presence.
“Thank you for the laughter you brought to the show and to all of our lives,” she added.
“You will be so missed.”
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“James was a genuinely kind, sweet man,” said Friends co-creators Marta Kaufman and David Crane via a joint statement.
“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.”
Tyler had previously announced his stage 4 cancer diagnosis on The Today Show in June of 2021.
“My goal this past year was to see my 59th birthday,” he said.
“I did that. My goal now is to at least save one life.”
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. ❤️☕️ pic.twitter.com/9coGnT5BHz
— FRIENDS (@FriendsTV) October 24, 2021
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